There are a variety of situations that are covered under personal injury law, which entitle the victim to compensation beyond simply compensating them for the measurable economic damages like medical bills and income disruptions. Working with a personal injury is the best way to make sure that you are covered for all of the different issues that you are working through, and that each detail that deserves compensation is addressed and calculated in a way that gets you what you are entitled to. You need to understand Injury Types & Catastrophic injury.
Our team is dedicated to helping victims of personal injuries work through this entire complicated process in a way that reduces your stress while maximizing your chances of a positive outcome during this difficult period of your life. Our history of experience handling a variety of personal injury cases will be a tremendous asset to your own situation, as will our familiarity with the California courts and personal injury cases in particular.
Read more below about injury types & catastrophic injury, that are common in personal injury lawsuits in California, as well as some additional specific information about each. Whether or not you see an injury or situation that resembles your own, contact us now to speak directly with our experienced legal team about your injuries, your rights, and how we can help you move forward to get the money and the justice that you deserve. We will be happy to discuss your own injuries, the situation that caused them, and give you ideas on how we can best help you proceed through this time in your life in a way that will help you get back on track.
Common Injury Types & Catastrophic injury
The following is a fairly comprehensive list of injuries that are present during personal injury cases. That said, there are a variety of different injuries that someone may suffer that are not represented below, and in many cases, there are multiple injuries that a victim will sustain all at once. Regardless of whether or not your specific injuries are listed or described below, the best way to get an understanding of how to move forward with your case is by making direct contact with an attorney. Stress is proven to adversely impact recovery times of physical injuries, and the stress of uncertainty for where to go next is a significant issue at the start of this process. We will help you get a clear understanding of what to expect.
Amputation
Amputation is not necessarily an injury itself but is more a procedure that a doctor or medical team may decide to move forward with if the injuries to an extremity are severe enough. It is a phase when a body part is removed during a medical procedure, either because the damage to the body part is irreparable, or not removing the body part will increase the victim’s risk of additional complications. This is often the last resort for an injury to an extremity, because of the permanent disability that it causes the amputee.
Anesthesia Injuries
Anesthesiologists are trained extensively in their fields due to the risky nature of anesthesia in general. When a person goes under anesthesia for a surgical procedure, there are many different factors that the medical team must consider, such as whether or not the individual is on medications that may react strangely, whether or not they are physically able to handle the introduction of the anesthesia, and much more. The anesthesiologist overseeing the procedure must continually monitor the individual’s vital signs in order to make sure that they are getting the amounts that they need and that any changes to their stability are addressed.
Back Injuries
There are many different ways that a back can be injured, whether through direct trauma to the spine or if the injuries are in other places on the back. Spinal injuries can pose a risk of paralysis, but non-spinal injuries can have serious and long-term impacts on things like mobility, chronic pain, and more. Back injuries can result from car accidents, workplace accidents, assaults, medical malpractice, and a variety of other situations. Regardless of how the injury was sustained, if it was caused by the actions of another person then you may be able to seek compensation for the damages that you have sustained.
Brain Injuries
The brain is a sensitive and complex organ, and there are many different ways that it can suffer injuries. Some of the most common brain injuries come from trauma, like concussions, hematomas, brain contusions, and aneurysms. However, there are a variety of other injuries that the brain can sustain from things like improper prescribing of medications, asphyxiation, medical malpractice, and more. Brain injuries are very serious and must be addressed by a professional as soon as possible to avoid any future complications, and to stabilize the victim’s condition in order to avoid as much long-term harm as possible.
Brain Stem Injuries
The brain stem is the location on the spine where the complex bundle of nerves that make up the spinal cord enters the bottom of the brain. The brain stem is also the location in the brain that dictates some of the most simple actions in the body, such as breathing, consciousness, simple movement of the body, the circulation of the blood, heat regulation, the ability to suck, swallow and digest food and the collection and discharge of body wastes, according to the Mayo Clinic. Therefore, injuries to this area can have serious, widespread impacts on a victim’s ability to perform basic functions, and are therefore extremely serious.
Broken Bones Injuries
Broken and fractured bones occur most often from impact accidents, which cause the bone to break apart. It is extremely painful, and may even require additional surgery in some cases. If broken bones are not treated within a short period of time after they are incurred, then the bone may need to be re-broken in order for it to be set properly and allowed to heal in a way that will not impact the victim’s long-term ability to use the impacted area. In addition to the immediate issues with a broken bone, they may also render the victim disabled for a period of time as they are confined to a cast, which can impact their ability to earn an income or perform basic tasks that have real economic impacts.
Burn Injuries
Burn injuries can happen in many different situations that go beyond exposure to open flame, although this is the most common way for them to be experienced. In addition, burn injuries can be sustained due to exposure to harmful chemicals or damaging ultraviolet light. First-degree burns are the least severe and are generally characterized by red skin, itching, and irritation. However, as burns go from minor to extreme, they may require skin grafting, plastic surgery, or maybe irreparable. The most severe burn is a fourth-degree burn, which is characterized by charring that goes all the way to the bone, meaning that the tissues and nerves are completely destroyed in the affected area.
Cerebral Palsy Injuries
Cerebral palsy is a type of brain injury that typically takes place before, during, or immediately after birth. There are many different ways that an injury can be sustained to the developing brain that causes these symptoms, which may or may not be covered under a personal injury or medical malpractice lawsuit. Some common instances where cerebral palsy injuries are considered valid personal injury cases are problems during delivery or failure to diagnose immediate issues after childbirth or before birth such as meningitis or jaundice. While not all cerebral palsy injuries are eligible for a medical malpractice lawsuit, it is worth taking a look at with an experienced attorney.
Chest Injuries After a Car Accident
There are many different ways that a chest can be injured in a car accident. Interestingly, one common chest injury in a car accident is a seatbelt injury, which results from the impact between the victim and the seatbelt as it restrains them during the collision. While these injuries can be very serious, the possibility of serious injury or even death is significantly higher when an individual is not wearing a seatbelt at all.
In addition to seatbelt injuries, there are a variety of other injury types & catastrophic injury, that can involve broken ribs, punctured lungs, injuries to the sternum, and more.
Crushing Injuries
There are many times each day that someone who works on an active construction site is at risk of a crushing injury, but it is expected that everyone around is acting responsibly and carefully in order to reduce the risks of accidents as much as possible. Unfortunately, not everyone is cautious all the time, and even so, the most cautious individual may make a mistake that leads to this type of injury. These injuries are not exclusive to construction sites, either. Regardless of how or where this injury was sustained, it must be taken very seriously. If the damage is serious enough, it may require amputation or could cause paralysis or loss of mobility.
Deep Vein Thrombosis Injuries
A deep vein thrombosis injury is the result of a blood clot that breaks loose from where it formed, moves up the veins, and can cause serious problems in the lungs as something known as a pulmonary embolism. Injuries related to a deep vein thrombosis are not necessarily covered by personal injury lawsuits, but they may have been missed by medical professionals in an instance where they absolutely should have recognized the issue. This type of misdiagnosis can be the center of a medical malpractice case.
Degloving Injuries
A “degloving” injury is a horrific and graphic injury that involves a large piece of skin being torn from the muscle and tissue underneath as if it were a glove being removed from a hand. These injuries can happen from using faulty equipment, car or motorcycle accidents, certain types of premise liabilities, and many other instances. If you or a loved one have suffered from a degloving injury as a result of someone else’s actions or negligence, then you deserve compensation for your pain and damages.
Eye Injuries
Human eyes are very sensitive and may suffer injuries as a result of a variety of different accidents. The eye can be injured by direct impacts from car accidents or faulty equipment, but can also be injured from exposure to chemicals, intense sources of light or radiation, brain injuries, and more. Some eye injuries may result in permanent blindness or a significant decrease in the ability to see, which has wide-reaching impacts on a victim’s life that must be calculated and compensated for if they were caused by someone else.
Quadriplegia Injuries
A quadriplegia is a severe form of paralysis that impacts all extremities below the neck, due to a catastrophic injury taking place between the brain and the rest of the body. Depending on the extent of the nerve damage, quadriplegia can go beyond the loss of mobility and extend to an inability to speak, breath, swallow, or many other basic motor functions required to keep a person alive. Additionally, any type of quadriplegia, or any type of paralysis for that matter, has a serious impact on the victim’s ability to live their life as they once did, which is deserving of significant compensation if caused by another party.
Sexual Assault Injuries
Sexual assault is a traumatic experience that causes lasting emotional injuries to victims, but there are many cases where there may be additional physical injuries to the victims as well. Regardless of whether or not the injuries are just emotional or they extend to physical injuries as well, the victim may be able to file a comprehensive personal injury lawsuit for the damages that they have suffered as a result of this terrible attack. This process is an emotional one, which is why working with a caring and experienced legal team is a major benefit for this situation.
Spinal Cord Injuries
The spinal cord is a major bundle of nerves that go between the brain and the rest of the body, and any type of injury to the spinal cord can seriously and permanently disrupt the brain’s ability to communicate with areas of the victim’s body. As a result, a spinal cord injury can cause varying degrees of paralysis, loss of mobility, chronic pain, an inability to return to normal life, and more. Regardless of how your spinal cord was injured, if it was caused by someone else then you deserve compensation and care.
Soft Tissue Injuries
Soft tissue injuries can happen due to a variety of things such as lacerations, impacts, burns, car accidents, motorcycle crashes, medical malpractice, and more. The majority of the body is covered in soft tissues like muscles and ligaments, meaning that there is a wide range of specific injuries that can be sustained to these soft tissues. Regardless of the specific type of injury to the soft tissue, if it was caused by someone else’s actions or inactions then the victim deserves to be fairly compensated for their suffering.
Subdural Hematoma Injuries
A subdural hematoma is a large pool of blood that happens under the skin, somewhat like a bruise but significantly more painful and substantial. These types of injuries typically result from trauma or impact and can have widespread and long-term issues if they are not properly treated by a professional. In many instances, these injuries come along with a variety of other injuries that are sustained as a result of the impact or trauma, such as in car accidents, assaults, or slip and fall injuries resulting from premise liabilities.
Whiplash Injuries
Whiplash is the most common injury sustained during a car accident, simply because it is caused by a rapid jerking of the head forward, down, and then back. It causes tears in the muscles, ligaments, and tendons in the neck which then causes serious pain and stiffness in the neck area. In many cases, whiplash injuries do not show themselves for the first day or two after an accident, because it takes time for these soft tissues to tighten back up. Once the injury shows itself, it will result in headaches, neck pain, limited mobility, trouble sleeping, and more.
Contact Us Today
If you have suffered from any type of catastrophic injury as the result of someone else’s actions, negligence, or malice, or you are suffering from any of the Injury Types & Catastrophic injury, then you may be able to seek financial compensation for your pain and the disruptions to your life. We will help you build a comprehensive case that addresses all of the different ways that you have suffered, and provides specific information as to how much you deserve for this unfortunate and frustrating situation in your life. The sooner you contact us, the sooner we will be able to build this case in a way that maximizes your chances of a positive outcome.