Bakersfield Catastrophic Injury Lawyer
If you are involved in an accident that someone else causes, the event is even more devastating if your injuries are catastrophic. If an accident happens because of the careless hand of another, your thoughts might gravitate to how you will afford medical care, what if you cannot return to your job, and how your family will be affected. For answers to your questions and help getting the compensation you are entitled to receive, call our Bakersfield catastrophic injury lawyers now. Our personal injury attorneys could handle the legal work while you focus on recovery.
What is a Catastrophic Injury?
According to the American Medical Association, catastrophic injuries are those that severely impact the brain, spine, or spinal cord. 42 United States Code § 3796b expands that definition to include any injury that prevents a person from maintaining a job. Common catastrophic injuries and their outcome are:
- Traumatic brain injuries occur after the head comes into forceful contact with an object or surface, compromising brain function and impairing memory
- Spine injuries can leave a person in severe pain and unable to walk properly
- Spinal cord injuries result in paralysis below the point of injury
- Third and fourth-degree burns penetrate the epidermis and damage tissues, tendons, muscles, and bones, leading to life-threatening infections, disfigurement, and organ shutdown
- Multiple broken or crushed bones often cannot be sufficiently corrected, leaving patients unable to use limbs properly
- Loss of limbs or eyesight, hearing, sense of smell, touch, or taste leave a person navigating the world differently
Catastrophic injuries can occur anywhere. People fall on construction jobs, get into car accidents, are attacked by vicious dogs, and are ejected from boats at high speeds. When someone else is responsible for a catastrophic injury, our Bakersfield attorneys offer compassionate and tenacious representation by assessing clients’ claims, building airtight cases, and filing negligence lawsuits.
Negligence is the Basis of Damages Awards
Negligence lawsuits are successful by proving four elements: duty, breach, causation, and damages. People have a duty to behave like a reasonable person would in a similar situation. If their behavior falls below that standard, they have breached the duty. When the breach causes an accident, the parties injured in the accident have a claim for compensation against the negligent person.
Compensation is awarded for economic damages, those that can be calculated, and non-economic, those in which a dollar value is assigned to a subjective loss, such as pain and suffering and for emotional distress. Our Bakersfield attorneys are skilled at winning the most compensation possible for a catastrophic injury.
The Statute of Limitations for Catastrophic Injury Cases
When one person’s negligence injures someone in an accident, California Code of Civil Procedure 335.1 allows a person to file a lawsuit for compensation up to two years after the accident.
Some circumstances warrant a pause on that time limit, including when the injured party is younger than 18. The two-year clock begins ticking upon turning 18, giving them until their 20th birthday to file suit. The time limit is also extended if the defendant is incarcerated, legally insane, or residing outside California. Missing the filing deadline results in a dismissal, so it is imperative to consult our knowledgeable catastrophic injury lawyer as soon as possible after an accident in Bakersfield.
Let Our Bakersfield Catastrophic Injury Attorneys Advocate for You
Our attorneys routinely work with catastrophically injured clients. We know that money does matter when you need it to cope with the changes in your life, replace wages, and engage in rehabilitation. Part of our job is also to give you some closure and get justice.
One of our Bakersfield catastrophic injury lawyers will assess police and medical reports, interview witnesses, and consult with experts if necessary. We calculate the amount of money you need to live comfortably, perhaps for a lifetime. Call today to schedule your case evaluation.
