What is a catastrophic injury?
Any injury that results in lastring, long-term consequences can be considered a “catastrophic” injury Injuries that commonly qualify as “catastrophic” include:
- Spinal cord injuries or any injury to the central nervous system
- Traumatic brain injuries
- Paraplegia or quadriplegia (paralysis)
- Neurological injury
- Nerve or ligament damage
- Major internal injuries
- Loss of limb or amputation
- Loss of sight or other senses
- Burn injuries resulting in scars or disfigurement
What compensation are the victims of a catastrophic injury entitled to receive?
One of the most common questions people ask after a catastrophic accident is what compensation they are entitled to receive.
In California, people who have been harmed by the negligence or wrongdoing of others are entitled to damages that fully compensate them for their injuries. This is commonly referred to as being “made whole.”
These damages are also called “compensatory damages” because they are intended to fully compensate someone for all the ways they have been affected by an accident.
Compensatory damages can be categorized into two categories—special damages and general damages.
Special Damages
Special damages, also known as economic damages, refer to the fixed dollar losses that an injured person has already suffered and will continue to suffer as a result of their injury.
Special damages usually include the following:
- Past and future medical expenses
- Past and future lost wages
- Loss of earning ability
- Loss of property
General damages
General damages refer to the damages that are less easy to assign a dollar value—but are no less important. While it is an oversimplification to describe them as such, general damages are sometimes described as “pain and suffering” damages. General damages seek to compensate for all of the intangible consequences of an injury.
General damages can include any of the following:
- Pain and suffering
- Physical impairment
- Disfigurement
- Loss of companionship (in the case of a wrongful death suit)
- Emotional trauma or mental anguish
- Loss of quality of life
Contact Reiner, Slaughter & Frankel for help after your catastrophic injury
Our attorneys at Reiner, Slaughter & Frankel take personal injury cases seriously. We have a combined 150 years of experience taking these types of cases, and we know how traumatic serious injuries can be.
That’s why we approach every case with compassion and an attention to detail, and why we win 98% of the cases we take to trial. We aren’t in this to make a quick buck– we’re in it to see that you and your family are compensated for everything that you’ve lost as a result of this accident or injury.
You can contact us today for a free, confidential consultation.