All injuries come with some amount of medical cost and inconvenience to your life. However, some injuries, known as catastrophic injuries, may have long-lasting effects that permanently impact your or your loved one’s quality of life or ability to enjoy everyday activities. When you experience this type of harm, there can be a long and arduous adjustment period that is difficult emotionally, physically, and financially.
If another person caused the injury that had such a large effect on your life, they deserve to be held responsible. A Los Angeles catastrophic injury lawyer could help you establish and present your personal injury case in court in order to receive the compensation you deserve.
Types of Catastrophic Injuries
Every catastrophic injury is unique, and they can take many different forms, including:
Nerve damage
Spinal cord injuries
Traumatic brain injuries
Injuries to the eye or other vision loss
Multiple or compound bone fractures
Amputations or other loss of limbs
Severe burns, scarring, or disfigurement
Internal injuries or other injuries that impede motor control or bodily function
Similarly, the accident or situation that led to the injury could occur in many different ways, such as:
A lawsuit stemming from any of these types of accidents may look different from another. Due to the unique nature of catastrophic injuries, it is important to work with a Los Angeles attorney who has experience representing people with severe injuries in addition to experience related to the underlying situation.
Compensation for Catastrophic Injuries
The amount of compensation, also known as damages, for catastrophic injuries is not set in stone. Instead, it is calculated primarily by measuring the actual losses the injured person has incurred and will incur. This makes every claim different, and, particularly for catastrophic injuries, calculating compensation involves determining the costs the injured person will have to pay related to the injury in the future. A catastrophic injury attorney in Los Angeles could work with medical providers and other experts to help calculate a fair amount of damages to pursue.
An injured person’s damages may include the cost of any emergency transportation, immediate medical attention, or surgery they received after the accident. They also may include ongoing medical care such as follow-up appointments or long-term rehabilitative or palliative care.
The amount of damages may also include some items intended to compensate the injured person for the experience they were forced to go through, not just the bills they had to pay. This could include things like pain and suffering, emotional distress, or mental anguish.
Additionally, in some situations, an injured person may be able to receive punitive damages. These damages are not tied to something specific the injured person experienced or had to pay. Instead, they are intended to serve as a penalty to the person responsible for the injury if their conduct was particularly egregious, reckless, or malicious.
Reach Out to a Los Angeles Attorney After a Catastrophic Injury
When you or a loved one has experienced a catastrophic injury, it may be difficult for your life to return to the way it was before the accident. Nevertheless, there are options available to help compensate you for your losses and hold the person who injured you responsible for their actions. An attorney could help you assert and protect those rights by investigating the accident, calculating your damages, and seeking the compensation you deserve.
