Sacramento Catastrophic Injury Lawyer

After an accident, many people end up with a range of injuries. Although most walk away with minor aches and pains, those involved in more severe accidents may suffer from catastrophic injuries. Life-threatening, expensive to treat, and frequently leaving survivors with permanent impairments, catastrophic injuries force people to alter their way of living and miss out on opportunities.

A catastrophic injury can completely disrupt your life, but you may be entitled to compensation if the accident that caused it was the fault of another party. With help from a lawyer experienced with catastrophic injury claims, you may file a claim against the party liable for your injury and successfully recover compensation for your losses. At Eric Ratinoff Law Corp, we take care of the paperwork and insurance adjusters so you can concentrate on what’s most important: your recovery.

What Qualifies as a Catastrophic Injury in Sacramento?

A catastrophic injury causes a person to suffer from long-term or permanent pain, or it results in the loss of function or usage of an organ or limb. Such an injury hinders the victim from being able to undertake long-term gainful employment.

The following are some of the most common catastrophic injuries:

  • Traumatic brain injury (TBI)
  • Spinal cord injuries
  • Deafness
  • Blindness
  • Disfigurement
  • Burns
  • Paralysis

Any of these injuries and others would require extensive time and money to address, and there’s no guarantee you’ll fully recover. When someone’s negligent actions leave you in such a position, you may have to take legal action to hold them accountable.

The Consequences of Sustaining a Catastrophic Injury

Any person who sustains an accident injury may have to deal with major consequences. However, catastrophic injuries have specific repercussions that you must consider when pursuing compensation due to their severity.

Catastrophic Injuries Are Longer Lasting

Catastrophic injuries frequently take longer to heal and demand more medical attention. This typically means that catastrophic injuries will cost more to treat than other types of injuries. In addition to increased medical expenses, you may have long-term rehabilitation costs from needing to attend in-patient physical therapy or undergo home rehabilitation. The extended time and costs associated with your injury should be factored into your losses.

Catastrophic Injuries May Require Additional Treatments

Depending on the nature of your injury, you may need to undergo additional procedures and other treatment methods as part of the recovery process. For instance, burn victims may need skin grafts, amputees may need prosthetics, and some victims may need organ transplants. All these treatments and procedures usually require multiple doctor’s visits, specialists, and follow-ups, which is more time and money spent on recovering.

Catastrophic Injuries Reduce Your Quality of Life

A catastrophic injury victim could also experience a lower quality of life than they had before the accident. Their capacity to work and maintain fulfilling personal connections with family or friends may be affected. Because they are unable to work, they earn less money, meaning they have less income for covering their expenses and enjoying hobbies, outings, and other fun activities. The person will have to adjust to living on a reduced income.

Who Can Be Held Liable for Catastrophic Injuries in Sacramento?

In California, multiple parties may be held accountable for a catastrophic injury. The negligent party is the first party to be held accountable, but others may also be held accountable for paying the catastrophic injury victim’s losses.

Some of the liable parties that people frequently overlook may be the following:

  • Insurance providers
  • Parents of negligent minors
  • Dog owners
  • The owner of the place you were injured
  • The negligent party’s employer
  • A defective product’s manufacturer, distributor, or seller

What kind of accident you were injured in will help establish who else might be held accountable for contributing to your accident. It’s imperative to seek the counsel of a Sacramento catastrophic injury lawyer to identify all parties who are legally responsible for any damages brought on by your injury.

Recovering Damages When You’re Partially at Fault

California’s comparative fault rule deals with situations where a person may be partially to blame for their accident or injury. Also known as comparative negligence or shared fault, California’s comparative fault means plaintiffs who are up to 50% at fault for their injury are still entitled to a portion of the damages that the defendant is liable for.

If you and the defendant cannot reach a satisfactory settlement outside of court, the percentage of fault will be decided by a jury. As the plaintiff, you will be responsible for defending your claim and establishing the other party’s liability. With an experienced Sacramento catastrophic injury attorney fighting for you, your claim may be more likely to succeed, and you may be able to avoid being attributed significant fault.

Consult an Experienced Sacramento Catastrophic Injury Lawyer Today

Accidents happen all the time, and we’re never fully prepared for all the troubles they bring. A catastrophic injury can consume your life, so you should put your rehabilitation first. Consider retaining the services of a qualified Sacramento catastrophic injury attorney familiar with the particulars of catastrophic injuries to help you while you recover. 

The seasoned Sacramento catastrophic injury lawyers at Eric Ratinoff Law Corp. have the knowledge and skills necessary to fight for compensation on your behalf. In addition to providing excellent legal representation, Attorney Eric J. Ratinoff can put you in touch with the services and medical attention you require to recuperate. He works hard to achieve maximum compensation for his clients. To schedule your consultation, call us at (916) 970-9100 or submit our contact form.