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What Makes a Personal Injury “Catastrophic”?

At Heiting & Irwin, our practice is dedicated to helping victims of catastrophic personal injury accidents recover compensation for their injuries. However, “catastrophic” is an ambiguous adjective; what one person considers to be “catastrophic” may not meet another person’s definition. Even amongst personal injury attorneys there is no universally-accepted definition of what constitutes a “catastrophic injury.”

Signs You Suffered a Catastrophic Injury

If any of the following facts or circumstances describes your injury accident, you may have been involved in a catastrophic personal injury accident and should speak with Heiting & Irwin right away:

  • You suffered a loss of a limb or injuries to your head, neck, and/or spinal cord injury: Catastrophic injuries are generally those that significantly – and in many cases permanently – impact the life of the injury victim long after he or she leaves the hospital. Oftentimes, catastrophic injury incidents will result in limitations or disabilities for the plaintiff that can last for the remainder of the victim’s life. A traumatic brain injury, neck or spine injury, and amputations are examples of such injuries.
  • Your medical bills, expenses, and losses are substantial. There is no dollar amount that separates a catastrophic injury from any other injury accident, but the amount of financial and noneconomic losses experienced by victims of catastrophic accidents reach into the hundreds of thousands of dollars (or more). This is because victims of catastrophic injuries generally require extensive medical treatment and therapy, miss considerable time from work, and are permanently disabled and/or suffer significant mental pain and anguish because of their injuries.
  • Your injuries are causing you and/or your family considerable financial difficulties or other types of losses. A catastrophic injury may exist if your personal injury is causing you and/or your family to experience difficulties in making ends meet or in mentally moving beyond your injuries.

Who Decides if I Have a Catastrophic Injury?

Ultimately, each personal injury attorney determines for him or herself whether a prospective client has suffered a “catastrophic injury.” However, in any personal injury case (whether catastrophic injuries are involved or not) it takes a considerable amount of legal skill and assistance in order for the injury victim and/or her family to recover the compensation they need to address their losses and expenses. This means that, regardless of the amount of losses you believe you experience, your odds of success in your California personal injury case are  increased by consultation with and representation by a skilled personal injury attorney.

Call Heiting & Irwin Today

If you or a loved one has been injured in an accident that you believe was caused by the negligent or reckless conduct of another, contact us right away. We will evaluate the circumstances of your case, can help you determine your legal rights, and take steps to protect those rights. If you have suffered catastrophic injuries, our Riverside law firm will aggressively fight to help you recover the compensation you need for your losses. Call us at (951) 682-6400 or complete our firm’s online contact form today.

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