Catastrophic Injuries

Manhattan Catastrophic Injury Attorney

Helping Catastrophic Injury Victims and Their Families Make a Full Recovery

If you or a loved one has experienced a catastrophic injury in Manhattan, you may feel devastated and worried about the future. You likely wonder how you will make ends meet without the person’s income or ability to care for the family. Your financial situation is probably compounded by expensive medical bills. Sadly, many accident victims lose their jobs, vehicles, and even homes because of their injuries.

However, you can protect yourself legally and financially by hiring a personal injury attorney. With our talented catastrophic injury lawyers, you can seek compensation for damages that were caused by another person’s negligence. We’ll help recover compensation for economic, emotional, and psychological damages. We will fight to protect your right to a bright future.

At the Law Office of Julio E. Portilla, P.C., we offer free consultations so you can get the advice you need at no initial cost. We’ll discuss your unique circumstances and outline a plan for how you can make a full recovery. Our NYC catastrophic injury lawyer listens closely and offers legal and emotional support to our clients.

Contact us today at 917-924-9790 to schedule your free initial consultation with our compassionate legal team. Se habla español.

What Is a Catastrophic Injury?

Catastrophic injuries are those that inflict severe, long-term, or permanent damage on a victim. These injuries often require extensive medical treatment, ongoing rehabilitation, and continual support. In some instances, catastrophic injuries can also lead to fatal outcomes.

While traumatic events like assaults, falls, and automobile accidents often cause these injuries, they can also result from medical malpractice, faulty products, and other negligent actions. These injuries cause not only physical pain but also emotional distress and financial suffering for the families of accident victims.

You may be entitled to compensation if you or a loved one has suffered a catastrophic injury due to someone else’s negligence. At the Law Office of Julio E. Portilla, P.C., our catastrophic injury attorney in Manhattan can help clarify your legal rights and options.

What Are Some Examples of Catastrophic Injuries?

Catastrophic injuries can affect individuals’ lives in various ways. Nonetheless, they all share a common trait: they lead to persistent or long-term disabilities.

Some examples of catastrophic injuries include:

  • Severe burns: Burns that qualify as catastrophic injuries usually involve third-degree burns affecting a significant area. Such burns demand substantial medical attention, including painful procedures like skin grafting, and can lead to disfigurement or impaired movement.
  • Spinal cord injuries: The extent and location of a spinal cord injury can lead to varying degrees of paralysis, from partial to complete. These injuries cause significant pain and loss of enjoyment of life. Additionally, spinal cord injuries often result in a loss of sensation or control over bodily functions.
  • Amputations: The loss of a limb can dramatically alter one’s life, leading to a permanent disability that may hinder the ability to work and perform daily activities as before.
  • Brain injuries: Traumatic brain injuries (TBIs) rank among the most severe injuries one can suffer. A mild TBI might result in permanent physical or cognitive impairments. Learning disabilities and mood disorders may also result from a TBI. Severe TBIs can cause permanent brain damage and irreversible disabilities.
  • Crush injuries: These injuries occur when a body part is crushed between two objects, often resulting in severe internal damage, including organ injuries, and in some cases, limb loss.
  • Eye injuries: Losing one or both eyes is classified as a catastrophic injury due to the resulting permanent blindness it causes.

These are just a few examples of the significant injuries classified as catastrophic. Reach out to our law firm to discover how we can help you navigate the legal process if you or a loved one has endured a catastrophic injury of any nature.

Were you or a loved one severely injured in a serious accident? Be sure to speak with a qualified catastrophic injury attorney in Manhattan from Law Office of Julio E. Portilla, P.C. Call 917-924-9790 or complete our online form to schedule a consultation.

How Much Compensation Can I Recover for My Injuries in New York?

One of the most crucial questions personal injury victims often have is how much their case is worth. While we can’t answer that question without speaking with you in person, it’s possible to give you an idea of what items you can seek compensation for in your personal injury case. Speaking with a catastrophic injury lawyer about your situation is the best way to get exact numbers and estimates.

A New York personal injury case is evaluated using a combination of factors. While most insurance companies focus on the medical expenses and property damage, you may be entitled to much more. Don’t sell yourself short by accepting a settlement without speaking to a New York personal injury lawyer at the Law Office of Julio E. Portilla, P.C. Call to schedule your free consultation and see what economic, emotional, and punitive damages you are entitled to!

Economic Damages

Economic Damages refer to items that caused a literal cost to you financially. These damages often come with a receipt, making it easier to calculate when seeking compensation. Some examples of economic damages include medical bills and property damage.

Please keep in mind that you can usually recover more than what the insurance company initially offers. For example, we have helped clients recover compensation for emergency transportation, hospital stays, follow-up doctor’s visits, medical equipment like wheelchairs, necessary home renovations for new disabilities, and more. We can also seek to recover lost income from time missed at work, lost vacation days, missed promotion opportunities, and bonuses.

Non-Economic Damages

Non-economic damages may be some of the most crucial aspects of a catastrophic injury case. Ironically, these are the damages insurance companies often ignore. Some examples of non-economic damages include emotional distress, mental trauma, and lost abilities due to the catastrophic injury. You may also be able to seek compensation for loss of enjoyment of life, wrongful death, loss of companionship, and more. Contact our New York legal team to learn more about how we can seek maximum compensation in your catastrophic injury lawsuit.

Punitive Damages

When catastrophic injuries happen because of someone’s criminal actions or extreme negligence, the victim and their family may be compensated for more than in a typical personal injury case. Punitive damages are compensation paid directly by the person at fault for their criminal behavior or negligence.

Our New York personal injury lawyers know how frustrating it can be to suffer because of another person’s bad choices. We’ll fight with all of our knowledge and determination to help you make a full recovery.

What Are Some Common Causes of Catastrophic Injuries in New York City?

From construction accidents to car wrecks and assaults, New York citizens may be subject to a wide range of incidents that cause severe injuries. These events may happen while you’re innocently driving down the road or simply trying to do your job. Whatever the case of your injuries, you should consult with a catastrophic injury lawyer right away to learn about your rights to compensation.

Motor Vehicle Accidents

Car crashes are among the leading causes of traumatic injuries. Don’t make the mistake of accepting an insurance payout after a crash. It’s critical to speak with a personal injury lawyer as soon as possible after your crash to get the legal advice and representation you need.

Medical Malpractice

Medical malpractice cases make up a large portion of catastrophic injury cases in Manhattan. If a doctor or nurse failed to fulfill their duty of care, resulting in devastating injury, you may be entitled to compensation. Speak to an NYC catastrophic injury lawyer at our law firm to learn how we can help.

Workplace Injuries

If you work in a dangerous environment, such as a construction site, you have the possibility of being severely injured on the job. Our team can help explain your legal options, including workers’ comp and other ways to recover from catastrophic injuries caused by someone else’s negligence.

Assault

As a personal injury victim who suffered from an assault in New York City, you’re not alone. Our experienced catastrophic injury lawyer can help determine whether the establishment where you were attacked holds part of the blame due to poor lighting, negligent security, or other negligence.

Our personal injury attorneys are ready to help you make a full recovery from your catastrophic injuries. Call our New York law office immediately to get started with your personal injury claim.

How Do I Establish Fault in a Catastrophic Injury Case?

The foundation of any personal injury claim is establishing fault. You’ll need to demonstrate not only that the other person caused your severe injuries but that they also owed a duty of care and failed to fulfill that duty. For example, a doctor has the responsibility to act in your best interests and to be aware of allergies, medications, surgical locations, and more. If the doctor negligently causes you catastrophic injuries, they should be held accountable according to the law.

New York’s personal injury laws are based on pure comparative negligence, meaning each party may recover a portion of the compensation according to their level of fault. In a car accident, for example, even the person who contributed most to the accident may receive a small portion of the compensation. If it is determined that you shared any part of the blame for the accident, your compensation will be reduced. It is critical to seek representation from a skilled NYC catastrophic injury lawyer to prove that you deserve the maximum compensation possible.

Our legal team will back you up in your catastrophic injury claim by seeking evidence to prove that the other party failed to uphold their duty of care and directly caused your injuries. We can use data such as surveillance footage, medical records, eyewitness accounts, and professional witnesses, such as accident reconstruction experts. We’ll leave no stone unturned as we build a case in your favor and seek maximum compensation on your behalf.

What Are the Most Severe Auto Accidents?

Some of the most common personal injury cases we deal with are car accidents. Car wrecks range from fender benders to rear-end collisions to catastrophic crashes. While any type of car accident can cause painful injuries, some wrecks are notorious for resulting in catastrophic injury or death. Some examples of severe auto accidents are semi-truck crashes, head-on collisions, T-bone wrecks, and drunk driving accidents.

Semi-Truck Accidents

With the extreme size and weight of semi trucks, it’s no surprise that commercial vehicle accidents are among the top causes of catastrophic injury and death. Passenger cars are often no match for heavily loaded semis, meaning passengers may experience devastating injuries in a wreck. What’s more, these accidents are often legally complex as various parties could be responsible.

Our law firm can help you discover whether the truck driver, loading crew, truck manufacturer, or trucking company is responsible for your injuries. We are not afraid to take on the lawyers of large trucking companies and will not rest until you are fully compensated.

Head-On Collisions

When two cars collide head-on, the force is often enough to result in severe trauma or death. Our personal injury lawyer has vast experience investigating head-on collisions and other crashes to discover who is at fault and win compensation on behalf of our clients.

T-Bone Wrecks

T-bone accidents typically occur at intersections where cars collide at right angles. The force of the impact can be severe, meaning victims may suffer catastrophic injuries or lose their lives. Some examples of common injuries in these wrecks include traumatic brain injuries, spinal cord injuries, broken bones, burns, and more.

Drunk Driving Accidents

Intoxicated drivers cause some of the deadliest accidents. If you were injured or lost a loved one due to a drunk driving accident, you may feel emotionally devastated and furious about your loss. The at-fault driver should be held accountable for their actions, and that’s where we come in.

At the Law Office of Julio E. Portilla, P.C., we fight relentlessly for our clients who are victims of drunk driving accidents. We’ll uncover every bit of evidence possible to help you recover damages following your crash.

What Should I Do if I’ve Been in a Car Crash?

Experiencing a car crash can be disorienting and frightening. Many accident victims aren’t sure what steps to take following the wreck. The good news is that remembering a few important steps can help you recover physically and financially.

The following are some crucial actions to take after you’ve been involved in a wreck:

  • Stay at the accident scene to avoid charges of hit and run, whether or not you were responsible for the incident.
  • Move to a place of safety and get out of the flow of traffic.
  • Call emergency responders by dialing 911 or instructing a specific person at the scene to do so.
  • Exchange personal and insurance information with any other drivers involved, or write down the license plate number of the at-fault driver if they fled the scene.
  • Collect contact information of any witnesses present.
  • Seek immediate medical attention, even if you think you weren’t severely injured.
  • Contact New York catastrophic injury lawyers to discuss your case and see if you are eligible for compensation.

Please don’t make the mistake of thinking your insurance company will be on your side. Insurance companies typically look out for their own pocketbooks rather than the best interests of victims. You should also be sure to get checked out by a trusted medical professional as soon as possible. Getting urgent medical attention demonstrates to the insurer that your injuries were severe and that your claim should be taken seriously.

Our seasoned personal injury attorneys are ready to answer your questions and help you make a full recovery following your accident. Call now to schedule your free consultation.

Should You Hire Our Manhattan Catastrophic Injury Attorney?

Choosing the right law firm can make all the difference when you are trying to recover from an injury that wasn’t your fault. You need a legal team that will respect your wishes and listen to your side of the story. At the Law Office of Julio E. Portilla, P.C., we provide honest legal advice to help you understand your options. We will then guide you on your legal journey and help you make the recovery you deserve.

If you are suffering because of injuries or the loss of a loved one, you have our deepest sympathies. Please don’t go it alone or sell yourself short by taking the original settlement offered by the insurance agent. Call our law firm as soon as possible to get on the road to physical and financial recovery.

Get to know our team by scrolling down and selecting the staff you would like to learn more about. Reach out to us by dialing 917-924-9790 to speak with our caring, capable legal team and schedule your free consultation.