Catastrophic Injury Lawyer Stockton

Written by: Steven L. Brown

Catastrophic injuries typically leave a severe impact on someone’s life. Suffering such injuries in a personal injury accident can leave you unable to return to your normal life or perform meaningful work. Catastrophic injuries often remain with you throughout your life, requiring constant care. Unfortunately, you may be left with high medical expenses, lost wages, reduced future earning capacity, and pain and suffering.

At the Law Offices of Brown & Gessell, we understand the impact of catastrophic injuries. Our Stockton catastrophic injury lawyers are committed to helping you seek compensation to cover hospital bills, future medical needs, and lost wages. Get in touch with us if you suffered catastrophic injuries due to someone else’s negligence. We know how to fight these cases and get you the compensation you deserve.

Types of Catastrophic Injuries

The National Spinal Cord Injury Statistical Center states around 273,000 people in the United States currently suffer from spinal cord injuries, with 12,000 new cases yearly. Separately, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports that about 1,7 million people sustain a traumatic brain injury every year. Most victims never fully recover from these injuries, yet with therapy and medical treatment they may be able to return to a productive and happy life.

There are various definitions of catastrophic injuries, but as stated in Title 42 of the U.S. Code, Section 3796b, catastrophic injuries prevent individuals from performing any gainful work for the rest of their lifetime. Types of catastrophic injuries that fall under this definition include the following:

Traumatic Brain Injuries

Traumatic brain injuries can result from blunt force trauma to the head, leading to swelling, bleeding, bruising, or inflammation. Such injuries are never minor and have a long-lasting impact. Some symptoms experienced shortly after an accident include dizziness, bleeding, and nausea. In the long term, you may suffer from cognitive impairment, including memory loss, compromised senses, and personality changes.

Spinal Cord Injuries

The spinal cord transfers messages between the brain and other body functions. If it is injured, the spinal cord can no longer transfer these signals, sometimes resulting in paraplegia (immobility of the lower limbs) or quadriplegia (paralysis of every limb). You may end up having to use a wheelchair for the remainder of your life.

Burn Injuries

Burns can be sustained in various degrees, but if third- or fourth-degree burns cover extended areas of the body, they are considered catastrophic injuries. Such burns can affect the epidermis and dermis, sometimes reaching into the body and affecting the muscles, bones, and organs. Disfigurement, scarring, excessive pain, nerve damage, and impaired range of motion are some of the most common effects of severe burns.

Amputation

Amputations entail partial or complete removal of a limb and can happen at the accident scene or at the hospital when the injuries are so severe that doctors cannot save the limb.

Common Causes of Catastrophic Injuries in Stockton, CA

Catastrophic injuries can occur in all types of scenarios, from car accidents to medical malpractice. While any personal injury case can cause severe injuries, some accidents are more common than others. These include:

Auto Accidents

Car, motorcycle, and truck accidents can be devastating. Motorcyclists thrown from their bikes due to an accident are most likely to suffer broken bones and traumatic brain injuries. Drivers can sustain broken bones, spinal cord injuries, or traumatic brain injuries. If you or a loved one were injured in a Stockton auto accident due to someone else’s negligence, contact our personal injury lawyers to discuss your options.

Pedestrian and Bicycle Accidents

As a pedestrian or cyclist, you may have little chance to escape an accident without serious injuries if you are hit by a motor vehicle. Because you may have no other protection than a helmet, you could sustain neck injuries, skull fractures, traumatic brain injuries, or back injuries.

Premises Liability Accidents

Such accidents happen when you are injured on someone’s property. Falls due to slippery floors or surfaces and tripping hazards can lead to broken bones, skull fractures, traumatic brain injuries, or back injuries. Other examples of premises liability include pool accidents, electrocution, and being hit by falling debris.

Medical Malpractice

While doctors and healthcare providers are expected to deliver a high standard of care, they can fail and make surgical and medication errors or delay diagnoses or misdiagnose. As such, catastrophic injuries can result.

We are committed to helping injured people recover their losses, so contact a personal injury lawyer in Stockton today and let us fight on your behalf!

Why Contact Brown & Gessell?

Any personal injury case can have its challenges, yet catastrophic injury cases are some of the most complex. An insurance company will most likely get involved if your injuries were caused by a motor vehicle accident, slip and fall, or on someone else’s property.

At Brown & Gessell, we understand that a lawsuit cannot erase the accident and its effects. However, it can help ease the financial burden of your catastrophic injuries. While no one should have to deal with such a traumatic experience, our Stockton personal injury attorney can assure you that you do not have to go through this alone.

Our injury lawyers attribute the track record of success to our dedication and commitment to meeting our client’s needs by working aggressively and tirelessly to get a favorable outcome. If you suffered catastrophic injuries due to someone else’s negligence or reckless behavior, contact the Law Offices of Brown & Gessell. We offer a free initial consultation, so call us or fill out our online form, and we can discuss your legal options.