Sacramento Catastrophic Injury Lawyer

Economic Damages

All losses resulting from your accident that had a financial impact are categorized as economic damages. The most often available economic damages following a catastrophic injury include:

• Lost wages
• Diminished ability to earn income
• Medical bills
• Future medical expenses
• Property damage
• Modifications to your home or vehicle necessitated by your injuries

Non-Economic Damages

Any other losses related to your injury are sorted into the broad category of non-economic damages. The most often available non-economic damages following a catastrophic injury include:

• Emotional distress
• Pain and suffering
• Mental anguish
• Permanent disability
• Loss of companionship
• Scars and disfigurement
• Diminished ability to enjoy life

Punitive Damages

In a small portion of catastrophic injury cases, recovering punitive damages is also possible. Punitive damages are rarely awarded because they are reserved for cases involving intentional harm or criminal negligence.

Unlike compensatory damages, punitive damages are not awarded as a means of replacing the losses incurred by the accident victim. Instead, punitive damages are meant to serve as a punishment for the liable party for the role they played in causing the catastrophic injury.

Be Sure to File Your Personal Injury Lawsuit Before the Deadline

If you are planning to file a lawsuit to recover compensation after suffering a catastrophic injury, it is critical that you pay attention to the statute of limitations. Under California law, injury victims typically have two years to file the paperwork required to sue the liable party. If this paperwork is not submitted on time, you will likely lose your right to claim damages.

However, you should note that in certain situations, the filing deadline can be altered. In some cases, this will provide you with an opportunity to file a lawsuit even if the usual deadline has long passed. In others, you could find yourself with a significantly smaller window in which to file.

Hiring an experienced Sacramento catastrophic injury attorney soon after your accident is the best way to avoid losing your right to recover damages because of an unexpected deadline. Your lawyer will be able to review the details of your case to determine the exact deadline that applies to your situation.

California Uses a Pure Negligence Rule

When assessing fault, California uses a pure negligence rule. Under this rule, injury victims have the right to pursue compensation for damages suffered in an accident as long as they were not 100% to blame. However, the amount of money the injury victim can recover will be reduced proportionately to their fault level.

For example, if you suffered a catastrophic injury where you were 70% at fault, you could only claim 30% of the full value of your damages. In this situation, if your case was worth $100,000, you will only be eligible to receive $30,000 if you win.

The Insurance Company Is Not There to Help You

When dealing with an insurance company after suffering a catastrophic injury, you need to understand that they are not on your side. While these companies do everything they can to convince accident victims that they are the friendly neighbor ready to help in whatever way possible, the truth is that these companies only care about protecting their bottom line.

Insurers will go to great lengths to convince you that they are trying to help in an attempt to get you to lower your guard. If successful, they are likely to make a settlement offer that is for far less than the total value of your claim. Their hope is that you will accept this settlement deal without consulting an attorney.

If you end up taking the deal, you will be unable to pursue further compensation once the full value of your claim has become apparent. Hiring an experienced catastrophic injury attorney is the best way to protect yourself against this and other tricks insurers will attempt to use against you.

Schedule a Free Case Evaluation With an Experienced Personal Injury Lawyer in Sacramento Today

When pursuing compensation after a catastrophic injury, hiring an experienced catastrophic injury attorney is the best way to help your case. It is essential to choose a lawyer with a history of representing clients in cases similar to yours and a track record of securing favorable compensation for their clients.

At Triumph Law, we have a long history of helping accident victims secure the compensation they need and deserve, both through out-of-court settlements and court-ordered payouts. Contact us today by phone or through our website to schedule a free case review with one of our catastrophic injury attorneys in Sacramento.