Catastrophic Injury Lawyer in Riverside, CA

Severe injuries that have lifelong complications are nothing to mess around with. If you have experienced a terrible injury caused by someone else’s negligence, you need to pursue the maximum amount of compensation for your losses. You deserve a settlement to cover the mountain of medical bills, trauma, and the effect their actions have had on your work and overall life. To do this, trust in an experienced and knowledgeable personal injury lawyer in Riverside, CA.

Do not leave it up to an inexperienced personal injury lawyer who has only dealt with minor car accidents. At the Law Offices of Fernando D. Vargas, we have received over $100 million in verdicts and settlements for our clients, helping them restore as much as possible to normal life. Consult with our Riverside County catastrophic injury lawyer to determine your next steps on the path towards justice and holding the negligent accountable.

Types of Catastrophic Injuries on the Body

When severe accidents occur—whether on the road, at a workplace, or on someone’s property—they can lead to catastrophic injuries. These injuries often affect crucial areas of the body, requiring extensive medical care and causing long-term, life-altering consequences. Some common types of serious injuries our catastrophic injury lawyers see include the following.

Dismemberment

This loss of limbs involves the immediate and traumatic separation of a body part during an accident caused by crushing forces, severing, or other severe trauma. The resulting injury may require a prosthetic limb to restore some level of function.

Amputation

This is a procedure performed by a surgeon when an injury is so severe that the limb is no longer viable or poses a risk to the patient’s life, such as in cases of severe infection. The goal is to remove the damaged tissue while preserving as much of the remaining limb’s function as possible, often followed by the use of a prosthetic. 

Traumatic Brain Injuries (TBI)

These types of brain injuries occur when an outside force disrupts normal brain function, whether from a sudden impact, a penetrating injury, or even a lack of oxygen. The symptoms can be wide-ranging, from temporary confusion to permanent physical, cognitive, sensory, or behavioral changes. TBI can affect a person’s ability to think, remember, and control their emotions.

Spinal Cord Injuries (SCI)

Spinal injuries happen when the spinal cord is damaged, disrupting the signals from the brain and the rest of the body, leading to a loss of movement, sensation, and control over bodily functions. The severity depends on the extent of the injury, with higher injuries on the spine generally causing more widespread paralysis and functional loss.

Burn Injuries

Burn injuries are caused by extreme heat, chemicals, radiation, or electricity. Severe burn injuries can lead to horrible scarring, disfigurement, and nerve damage.

Electrocution Injuries

When a person comes into contact with high-voltage electricity, the electrical current can pass through the body, causing not only severe burns but also internal damage to the heart and nervous system. This can lead to cardiac arrest, seizures, tissue damage, and lasting pain.

Catastrophic Bone Fractures

While many fractures heal without long-term issues, a catastrophic fracture is a severe break that can cause lasting problems. For example, if a bone breaks through the skin, it can lead to serious infection. Even after treatment, these severe fractures can result in permanent scarring, disfigurement, reduced mobility, and chronic pain.

Our Riverside County catastrophic injury attorneys understand how important it is to pursue the maximum compensation. When you are hurt this severely, you need the most amount of financial support to help with your recovery and take the burden off your shoulders. We help victims of catastrophic injuries restore their lives as much as possible, with the least effect on their everyday lives.

The Lasting Effects of Catastrophic Injuries

Experiencing a catastrophic injury causes your world to change in an instant. The life-altering effects can cause permanent impacts to your life, more than just the pain of recovery. Your life is fundamentally changed, leaving lasting physical, mental, and sensory impairments that impact the ability to work, live independently, and navigate the world. 

After an event causing a severe injury, seek immediate medical attention. A doctor can quickly assess the full extent of the damage, begin treatment, and work toward the best possible outcome. Beyond the immediate medical needs, these injuries often affect a person in several key areas, profoundly impacting their emotional and mental well-being.

Physical Impairment

Catastrophic injuries often result in severe physical impairments that limit a person’s mobility and ability to function. While many people think of paralysis, like paraplegia or quadriplegia, these injuries can also include the loss of limbs, chronic weakness, or difficulty with walking, balance, and coordination. These physical limitations can make everyday tasks incredibly difficult, if not impossible.

Often, victims of catastrophic injuries require significant accommodations like specialized equipment, home modifications, or vehicle changes. All of these changes, along with medical bills for extended hospital stays, rehabilitation, and other expenses, add up quickly. A catastrophic injury lawyer can help you maximize your compensation by taking into account both present and future expenses, with help from medical experts to calculate expected costs.

Mental and Cognitive Impairment

Severe head or spine injuries can compromise a person’s mental and cognitive function. This may lead to difficulties with clear thinking, memory, and concentration. An individual might experience slowed thoughts, confusion, memory loss, or even significant personality changes.

Sensory Impairment

Sensory impairments can include the loss of hearing, vision, or physical sensation. Nerve damage may create a total loss of sensation or a chronic tingling and pins and needles sensation. Sensory impairment may also cause chronic pain, an inability to speak, or difficulty communicating, all of which can affect nearly every part of a person’s life.

Emotional Repercussions

After a traumatic accident, injury victims may struggle with the emotional response to the event. Often, even more profound comes following the diagnosis of catastrophic injuries as a person realizes the permanent and life-changing loss of their former abilities. These emotional responses can manifest as post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), anxiety, insomnia, or depression.

What Evidence Can Support Your Catastrophic Injury Claim?

Securing a positive outcome in a catastrophic injury case relies on the quality and quantity of your evidence. The more compelling your evidence, the stronger your case will be. Your catastrophic injury attorney can help you secure a wide range of evidence that can be used to build your case and prove fault. This includes:

• Visual Documentation: Photos and videos of the incident scene, your injuries, and the surrounding environment can provide a detailed account of what happened.
• Official Reports: A police report from the City of Riverside Police Department offers an objective, official account of the accident, including key details and observations.
• Eyewitness Accounts: Testimonies from witnesses who saw the event unfold can provide crucial support for your version of events.
• Surveillance Footage: Any security or surveillance footage from nearby cameras may have captured how your accident occurred.
• Medical Records: Your medical records are a primary form of evidence, documenting the severity of your injuries, your treatment, and your prognosis.
• Expert Testimony: A medical expert can testify about the long-term impact of your injuries, including the likelihood of permanent disability or chronic pain.
• A Personal Account: A personal injury journal where you document how your symptoms affect your daily life can be a powerful tool. Similarly, testimony from friends and family can illustrate the changes in your quality of life since the accident.
• Mental Health Records: If you sought treatment for emotional or psychological distress, records from mental health professionals can show the full impact of the injury.

A key factor in any catastrophic injury lawsuit is liability. Even when it seems obvious who was at fault, your catastrophic injury attorney must build a legally sound case by demonstrating the elements of negligence.

What Is the Value of a Catastrophic Injury Case?

When a catastrophic injury upends your life, the financial struggles can be as devastating as the physical injury. The costs of long-term medical care, along with the inability to return to work, can quickly become overwhelming. Fortunately, working with a catastrophic injury attorney can help you seek compensation to alleviate this financial burden. While money can never undo the physical or emotional damage, it can provide the resources you need for treatment and support, ensuring you can focus on your recovery.

A legal settlement or verdict is designed to provide compensation for the full scope of your losses, aiming to restore your life as closely as possible to what it was before the accident. Your attorney will help you identify and value all of your damages, which may include:

• Medical Expenses: This covers costs related to your treatment, from your initial emergency care to ongoing therapies, hospital stays, and future medical needs.
• Lost Income: If your injury keeps you from your job, you can seek both lost pay and diminished earning capacity in the future.
• Property Damage: This includes the cost to repair or replace any property or personal belongings damaged in the accident.
• Pain and Suffering: This is a broad category that accounts for the physical pain, emotional distress, and mental anguish you have endured.
• Diminished Quality of Life: Compensation for the impact on your life experience, such as a loss of enjoyment of hobbies, as well as the emotional and psychological toll of conditions like PTSD, anxiety, and depression.
• Loss of Companionship: If the injury has affected your relationship with a spouse or partner, you can seek compensation for the loss of companionship or consortium.

How Our Lawyers Will Help You Seek Maximum Compensation

Speak with our attorneys about all the losses you have experienced, no matter how minor they may seem. To build the strongest case possible for your past, present, and future losses, it is vital for us to have the fullest understanding of your experience.

We have the resources and connections available to maximize your claim. We may even call on expert witnesses, such as medical professionals, industry specialists, and other witnesses who may be able to add valuable information to back your damages.

Punitive Damages for Serious Cases of Negligence

In catastrophic injury cases where the at-fault party’s actions were particularly reckless or malicious, your court may award punitive damages.

Unlike other forms of compensation, which are meant to “make the victim whole” by covering their losses, punitive damages serve to punish the wrongdoer for their egregious conduct and deter others from engaging in similar behavior. To be awarded, the defendant’s conduct must be proven to be especially harmful, malicious, or to have shown a “willful and wanton” disregard for the safety and rights of others.

Examples of cases that may warrant punitive damages include drunk driving, knowingly selling defective and dangerous products, and a landlord’s intentional oversight of serious safety risks on a property. Punitive damages are awarded rarely, so speak with one of our catastrophic injury attorneys if you are wondering if your case may qualify.

Wrongful Death in Riverside County

If a catastrophic injury eventually proves fatal, a wrongful death lawsuit can also cover funeral and burial expenses, as well as provide death benefits to surviving family members. This type of lawsuit is a civil action brought by the surviving family members or the estate of the deceased.

While no amount of money can ever truly compensate for the loss of a loved one, a wrongful death claim aims to provide a measure of justice and financial security to the survivors. Our team is here to provide support through the litigation process.

Contact Our Catastrophic Injury Lawyers in Riverside, CA

When you or a loved one has suffered a catastrophic injury, legal action may be the last thing on your mind. However, seeking justice and securing the financial future your family needs are crucial steps. You have the right to hold the at-fault party responsible for their actions. To request a free consultation with experienced Riverside County catastrophic injury attorneys near you, contact our law offices today.