If you suffer a traumatic injury in a Fresno accident, Maison Law is focused on protecting you financially as you heal. We want to make sure you have the support to pay for the best medical care available. Contact our Fresno Traumatic Injury Lawyers for a first consultation that comes free of charge. It’s an opportunity to find out what your case is worth and how to hold an at-fault party fully responsible.
Do I Need a Lawyer After an Accident That Causes a Traumatic Injury?
If your accident only involves some fender damage or some minor bumps and bruises, you may not need the help of a Fresno personal injury lawyer to get compensated by an insurance company.
But when an accident is caused by someone’s negligence and you are left with a serious injury, like a broken arm, you could need the protection of a lawyer. Traumatic injuries are the most serious type of injuries suffered by car accident victims, slip-and-fall victims, and even dog bite victims. They are life-threatening and you may require urgent treatment in a trauma center to give you a chance at survival.
These dangerous accidents happen far too often in Fresno. A careless driver on Fresno’s Highway 99 can send you into a collision to cause a traumatic injury. You could trip and fall in a parking lot pothole and hit your head, causing brain bleeding. You might suffer a traumatic puncture wound caused by a piece of machinery at work.
When a reckless driver or business owner contributes to the cause of your accident, they can be held fully liable for your recovery costs. But your traumatic injury may require two or three times more in financial support to pay for a full recovery. This elevated cost can leave liability insurance companies looking for ways to escape blame for what happened. Your Fresno traumatic injury lawyer makes sure you receive justice and demands the maximum in compensation for your family.
Common Traumatic Injuries in California
Traumatic injuries are caused by three main factors. A sudden physical blow or blunt force impact. A sudden penetrating strike or impalement on a sharp object. A fire, chemical, or electrical exposure can also produce a traumatic injury.
Major trauma describes any injury that could produce a disability or could be life-threatening. In fact, the shock of trauma can be enough to stop a person from breathing, and resuscitation for victims is sometimes the first order of business on the scene of an accident.
These external forces unleashed in a collision can leave devastating injuries and long recoveries behind. These are just a few of the injuries seen most often in victims:
- Traumatic Brain Injuries (TBI) – An external blow to the head can cause brain damage. A loss of control in any part of the body can result. Headaches and memory loss are also possible. The inability to form words and even a loss of control of the bladder can be tied to a strike to the head. Every year, 1.4 million people sustain a traumatic brain injury across the nation. On average, around 50,000 of these patients die from their injuries.
- Spinal Fractures and Spinal Cord Injuries – Spinal cord damage can come in the form of bruises or tears. The University of Florida Health says that this damage can be either “incomplete” and leave some control or feeling in body parts below the wound or “complete” where there is no control in the body below the injury. Spinal damage can result in impact fractures or burst fractures.
- Traumatic Amputation – The loss of a limb due to a blunt force or penetrating injury in an accident. An amputation can be necessary after an accident using an unsafe tool at work or if a worker is caught between equipment.
- Broken Hip – A slip-and-fall accident at a grocery store, a residential building, or another business can rob you of your mobility and leave you with a broken bone that might take months to heal and meanwhile lead to other health issues for you.
- Facial Trauma – A car, motorcycle, or bicycle crash can result in severe facial damage. The jaw can be broken along with the cheekbones, the nose, eye sockets, and the forehead. Teeth can also be loosened or knocked out.
- Rib damage and Collapsed Lung – The rib cage protects the heart, lungs, and other organs. It can break and puncture organs. A lung can lose air in an impact and air building up outside of the lung can make it hard for it to draw air in again.
- Burn Injuries – A worksite can utilize an exposed flame and end up causing a wound. Harmful chemicals can also be released and damage the skin. You can also have your airways burned causing immediate breathing issues.
Compensation for Accident Victims No Matter How Long Recovery Takes
The common mistake accident victims make is not considering each and every cost an accident has resulted in now and in the future. With such serious outcomes possible in a crash or a fall, it’s unrealistic for insurance companies to expect you to spend one night in an emergency room, have one physical therapy session, and suddenly be healed and perfectly fine for the rest of your life.
Sadly, severe injuries can require rehabilitation and additional surgeries months and years down the road. In the case of a physical disability, a victim may have to relearn life altogether. A new career may be necessary and the cost of re-training may include college classes. All of these costs should be included in a claim for damages.
Unfortunately, not every Fresno personal injury accident victim will know what they should be asking for. That’s why having a legal expert for every step of the recovery and insurance negotiation period can be absolutely vital to protecting your future and the financial future of your family.
These are just a few of the types of factors that can earn compensation after an accident:
- Hospital and medical expenses now and in the future.
- Lost wages now and in the future.
- Costs associated with a permanent physical disability such as medical equipment and rehabilitation.
- Emotional Distress. This can involve depression and anxiety for you and your close family members. Compensation can be provided for counseling and psychological services.
- Living with extreme physical pain.
- Travel costs involved with doctors’ appointments and visits to out-of-town specialists.
- Wrongful death benefits. With traumatic injuries, there’s always the chance doctors can’t save victims. Sometimes victims can’t reach the medical care they need in time. Families can file wrongful death claims against at-fault parties to secure help with burial costs and leftover medical bills. They should also get help in replacing the income the deceased can no longer provide the family.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long can I wait to file a traumatic injury accident claim?
Two years. California offers victims two years from the date of their accident to file a lawsuit over their injuries. It’s important not to wait long if possible. The sooner you discuss your case with an attorney the easier it will be to secure evidence and round-up witnesses and testimony.
Should I depend on Workers’ Compensation after a traumatic injury at work?
No. Workers’ Compensation can provide basic coverage for hospital bills and missed time on the job, but it doesn’t factor in emotional damages and physical anguish. It also doesn’t account for hardships on your family. Talk to an attorney to see if you should expect more help with your injury.
How much is my traumatic injury case worth?
Compensation can depend on many factors. There are generally no set guidelines on how much a personal injury is worth. It will depend on the severity of the injury and how much insurance money is available in the at-fault party’s policy. Lifelong pain or a resulting disability should mean more support is provided.
Contact a Fresno Traumatic Injury Attorney
If you are a victim of an accident and a traumatic injury at any level, make sure your healing stays the focus of your recovery. Don’t let hospital bills and other financial damages rob you of your strength when they should be someone else’s responsibility. Contact Maison Law of California and allow us to get started investigating the circumstances of your accident.
If you decide we can help you and your family earn more in a traumatic injury settlement, you won’t need any money to hire us. We don’t get paid unless we win your case for you. Then our fee comes out of the settlement you are awarded.
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