Any individual who has been injured in an accident would benefit from having a personal injury attorney to determine liability and represent them, but having legal representation is especially important if you were involved in a major accident causing serious, life-changing injuries.

Victims who have been severely injured may be facing long-term needs that need to be addressed in an injury claim. Only by filing an injury claim do you have a chance at securing the compensation you need to pay for long-term costs that include medications, physical therapy, and more.

If you or a loved one has been injured in a devastating accident, our San Diego catastrophic injury lawyer can help you file a claim and guide you through the legal system. The Law Office of Michelle Gershen aims to help clients pick up the pieces of their lives after accidents and move towards a more stable, secure future. We can develop the comprehensive claim you need to move on.

Typically, injuries classified as “minor” are those that victims can recover from with short-term care. These can include cuts and abrasions, whiplash, sprains and fractures, and sometimes broken bones. A catastrophic injury, on the other hand, is an injury so serious that victims have permanent damage and require long-term or even lifelong care.

Those suffering from catastrophic injuries may even have to quit their jobs if they no longer can perform them, and the way they live their lives may change. Some may require medical equipment or at-home assistance to perform even the simplest daily tasks.

Common types of catastrophic injuries include:

A traumatic brain injury, or TBI, is an injury that disrupts the normal function of the brain that is typically caused by a blow, jolt, or bump to the head. It can also be caused by an object that penetrates your brain tissue, such as a bullet. While more mild TBIs can affect your brain cells temporarily, many TBIs are more serious and have lasting damage on your brain cells and/or your brain tissue, resulting in cognitive disfunction and sometimes death.

It’s important to seek medical attention immediately if you’ve received a blow to the head, as seemingly mild symptoms like headaches can be indicative of a traumatic brain injury.

TBIs can result in dangerous complications and put victims into comas or a vegetative state, which can lead to brain death. They may also induce seizures, causes paralysis, or even result in the loss of sense of smell, taste, and vision. TBI victims can also suffer from cognitive problems like the loss of memory or impaired judgment, and parts of their core personality may change.