Personal injuries caused by the negligence of another party happen all too frequently in New York State. According to the New York State Department of Health website, over 155,000 people suffer injuries every year that require hospitalization and another 1.5 million are treated and released from New York emergency departments. In addition, there are countless physical injuries that are treated at home or are left untreated.
Personal injury law is the legal system designed to establish and protect the rights of victims who have been harmed by the actions of another person or entity.
A personal injury claim may be filed regardless of the severity of the injury or the dollar amount of the financial loss. The personal injury law system is structured to manage a wide range of case types and enables victims to legally recover compensation from the party or parties responsible for their accident.
It is important to contact a personal injury attorney as soon as possible after an accident, this is especially true if the accident caused serious injuries, involved multiple victims, or required extensive medical treatment.
Personal injury cases involving catastrophic injuries require special handling by an experienced, highly skilled New York personal injury law firm. Victims of such severe injuries deserve a fair settlement and access to the legal help required to give them the greatest chance to recover maximum compensation for their losses.
For help with your catastrophic injury claim, contact the personal injury law offices of Cellino Law. Our attorneys have the expertise, resources and real-life experience needed to help you and your family recover financially and hold the responsible party accountable for their actions.
To set up your free consultation with a catastrophic injury attorney, call Cellino Law at 888-888-8888.
What is a Catastrophic Injury?
Accidents, by definition, happen fast and are completely unexpected. Even a so-called “minor” accident can leave you frightened, in need of medical attention and time to heal. Accidents like these often feel catastrophic when they happen but with good medical care, a successful personal injury claim and time, things eventually return to normal. This is not true for victims of a traumatic accident that results in catastrophic injuries.
Catastrophic injuries, by definition, are injuries that result in such severe damage that full recovery is likely impossible. Such an injury is truly life-changing, not only for the victim, but for their family and friends as well.
Catastrophic injury victims are often left with permanent disability which severely limits or eliminates their ability to work and provide a living for themselves and their family. These types of serious injuries also restricts and may severely curtail the victim’s ability to tend to the daily activities of living, including caring for children and or a spouse.
If you have questions about your catastrophic injury case, please contact the personal injury lawyers at Cellino Law. The team at Cellino Law has extensive experience in catastrophic injury cases and have recovered over $2 billion dollars in settlements for injury victims. For help with your New York catastrophic personal injury case, call (888) 888-8888.
Examples of Catastrophic Injuries
Any injury sustained that causes profound harm, long-lasting impairment or permanent disability is considered catastrophic and the injured victim deserves full financial compensation.
Examples of these types of injuries include but are not limited to:
- Spinal cord injuries, with or without varying degrees of paralysis
- Traumatic brain injuries
- Severe burn injuries and other permanent disfigurement
- Severe internal injuries that may result in organ removal, transplant or chronic management
- Nerve damage resulting in chronic weak or achy muscles, cramping, swallowing or breathing difficulties, twitching, deformed facial appearance, memory loss.
- Amputation
- Blindness
- Loss of hearing
Catastrophic injury victims endure tremendous physical and emotional pain, made even more difficult when the accident was due to someone else’s negligence. Receiving fair compensation and holding the responsible party accountable for their actions oftentimes can help a victim feel like they have some control over their life, and their future.
If a loved one has suffered a traumatic brain injury, spinal cord injury, severe burns, nerve damage or any other serious injury at the hands of another party, the attorneys at Cellino Law are here to help. You deserve a New York personal injury law firm committed to ensuring you get the full and complete financial compensation you deserve.
Catastrophic Accident Types
Almost any accident can lead to a catastrophic injury but, they are more likely to occur in the following types of accidents:
Construction Site Accidents
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, over 77,000 accidents occur on construction sites every year. Due to the nature of the work, the heavy machinery and equipment used, and the physical exertion required, construction accidents account for a large number of life-changing, catastrophic injuries.
Although not all construction site accidents are a result of negligence, a significant number of them could have been avoided if proper safety guidelines had been in place and followed.
Negligence at a construction site can include:
- Improper, faulty or incomplete instructions from a supervisor
- Improperly maintained or faulty equipment
- Unsafe working conditions due to weather or other external circumstances
- Lack of hazardous material training and safety equipment
- Unsafe behavior of co-workers
- Inadequate warning signs and restrictions for public access
Construction site personal injury cases can be complicated, even if the injuries the victim suffered are minor; but when the victim has suffered catastrophic injuries, it is critical that a New York catastrophic injury lawyer is contacted as soon as possible.
The insurance company is motivated to protect their own best interest, which includes paying as little as possible on your claim. Personal injury victims deserve better. At Cellino Law, your best interest is our best interest and we will fight to make sure you get all the compensation you deserve.
Workplace Accidents
Depending on the type of job you do, a workplace injury may be a minor annoyance that is easily handled through a basic workman’s compensation claim. Unfortunately, not all workplace injuries are minor, and not all worker’s compensation claims go off without a hitch.
According to the CDC over 1.8 million workers were involved in accidents at work that caused injuries severe enough to receive medical attention in a hospital emergency room in 2020.
Workplace accidents that result in severe and even catastrophic injuries often involve:
- Dangerous equipment
- Falling from a significant height
- Exposure to toxic chemicals
- Injuries from falling objects
- Electrocution
Safety at work starts with good leadership and management. Failure to maintain a safe environment for employees may mean that a company is liable for any catastrophic injury claims filed by their workers.
If you have been seriously injured at your workplace, contact a New York catastrophic injury attorney for help settling your claim.
Motor Vehicle Accidents
Not only are motor vehicle accidents the most common accident type that leads to a personal injury claim, they are also responsible for the most severe injuries.
In heavily populated cities like New York City, motor vehicle accidents are a fairly common occurrence. While car accidents declined significantly in 2020, by 2021, accidents had increased to 97,059 car accidents that year.
In 2021, there were 245 reported fatalities as a result of motor vehicle accidents and many more suffered catastrophic injuries that changed the victims and their families lives forever.
Car accidents are not the only type of motor vehicle accident that can cause catastrophic injuries. Other dangerous accidents include:
- Motorcycle crashes
- Pedestrian accidents
- Biking accidents
- Commercial trucking wrecks
- E-bike and scooter crashes
Motor Vehicle Crashes and Negligence
While not all accidents can be prevented, an astounding number of them occurred as a direct result of another driver’s negligence. One of the most common causes of this is distracted driving.
Distracted driving applies to any activity that diverts the drivers attention away from the safe operation of the vehicle. This can include any activity that takes the driver’s hands off the wheels, their eyes off the road, or any activity that allows the driver to no longer focus on operating the vehicle.
Examples of distracted driving include:
- Texting
- Talking on a phone
- Eating or drinking
- Personal hygiene, applying makeup, combing hair etc.
- Losing focus
- Adjusting the radio
- Talking to passengers
- Pets in the vehicle
Driving while distracted is against the law and violators who cause catastrophic injuries to a victim may be held liable for the damage they caused.
The insurance company involved in your accident may apply pressure to victims in order to get them to sign a settlement agreement before the full extent of the injuries are discovered. Some catastrophic injuries are only revealed after further examination and some time has passed.
A New York catastrophic injury lawyer will investigate your car accident to determine who is liable and then pursue compensation on your behalf with the insurance company. If a fair settlement cannot be agreed upon, your catastrophic injury attorneys can file a personal injury lawsuit seeking damages and reparation in a court of law.
Medical Malpractice
When a poor outcome is the result of negligence and substandard care, the provider or medical establishment can be held responsible for their errors.
Medical malpractice that may lead to a catastrophic injury or loss includes:
- Diagnosis errors. Late diagnosis, missed diagnosis or wrong diagnosis
- Delayed treatment of a serious condition such as skin cancer
- Surgical errors.
- Medication error. Wrong medication, too much medication, failure to administer medication
- Mistakes involving the administration of anesthesia
- Birth injury
Successfully taking on the medical establishment requires the help of New York catastrophic injury attorneys with the resources and manpower to fight the system and hold practitioners accountable for their negligence.
Compensation Available To Catastrophic Injury Victims
Its important that a victim of spinal cord injury, traumatic brain injury, severe burns and other catastrophic injuries be fully compensated for their losses. A personal injury lawyer can ensure that all damages are accounted for and included in a catastrophic injury claim.
Economic damages that may be recovered in your catastrophic injury case include:
- Medical bills
- Ongoing and future medical expenses
- Ambulance transport fees
- Rehabilitation and physical therapy expenses
- Durable medical goods such as wheelchairs, crutches, braces etc.
- Home modifications
- Lost wages
- Future lost wages
- Loss of earning capacity
- Permanent disability
Non-economic damages that may be recovered in your catastrophic injury case include:
- Pain and suffering
- Future pain and suffering
- Loss of enjoyment
- Loss of mobility
- Emotional anguish
- Loss of consortium
- Loss of support
Wrongful Death Additional Damages
In the tragic event that a loved one loses their life in an accident caused by negligence, the surviving family may be entitled to additional specific damages through a wrongful death claim. These damages may include:
- Funeral expenses
- Burial or cremation costs
- Loss of support and income
- Loss of inheritance
- Loss of companionship
- Loss of emotional support
- Loss of instruction (for surviving children)
At Cellino Law, we understand that no amount of financial settlement can truly fully compensate an individual who has suffered a catastrophic injury, for their loss. Nor can a wrongful death claim, in any way, even begin to compensate a family who has lost a loved one to negligence. A personal injury lawyer with experience in catastrophic injury can help the victim or family to relieve the enormous financial burden that is placed on families after such tragedies and give them the resources to move forward.
Cellino Law: New York Catastrophic Personal Injury Attorneys
Traumatic brain injuries, spinal cord injuries, severe burns, amputation, chemical poisoning; these are all often the result of someone else’s negligence. Whether by car accident, construction accident, medical error, or an accident at work, these life-changing injuries result in an ever increasing pile of medical bills and a future of ongoing medical expenses.
As a victim of a catastrophic injury due to another party’s negligence, you should not be left to carry the financial burden alone.
Cellino Law’s personal injury lawyers are experienced in catastrophic injury claims and dedicated to helping victims recover full financial compensation and ensure that the guilty party is held accountable for their actions.
In order to ensure that catastrophic injury victims have access to legal expertise, Cellino Law offers a free consultation to discuss your case. In addition, there are no upfront fees and you don’t pay anything unless you win.
To schedule your free consultation with a catastrophic injury attorney at Cellino Law, call (888) 888-8888.
