Although minor injuries can certainly affect your quality of life, some physical traumas are graded as catastrophic injuries due to their life-changing nature. From rigorous emergency treatments to lengthy hospitalizations, catastrophically-injured victims and their families must adjust to a new way of life marred by pain, inconvenience, and long-term disabilities.
Throughout California every year, car accidents, pool mishaps, construction accidents, manufacturing incidents, and organized sports accidents result in all manner of catastrophic injuries. Catastrophic injury-causing incidents often share two common traits: A negligent or reckless act is the initiating cause, and someone other than the victim is at fault.
At Beston International Law Firm, our firm represents clients with catastrophic injuries – and no injury is too serious for us to handle. We believe that negligent or reckless parties should pay for the injuries they cause. Our attorneys commit all their legal experience, resources, and tireless efforts to recovering multi-million dollar verdicts and settlements for severely injured victims. We’ve also helped families recover damages when catastrophic injuries caused their loved ones’ wrongful deaths.
Do you believe that you have a catastrophic injury claim in New York, Southern California, or nationwide? Call Beston International Law Firm at 6463059656 or contact us online today.
A catastrophic injury is unique for one key reason: a catastrophic injury forever prevents a victim from returning to their life as it was before the injury. Catastrophic injuries are truly life-changing.
Additionally, many catastrophic injuries affect the central nervous system including the brain and spinal cord. As such, catastrophic injuries can be particularly devastating given the sensitive and critical nature of the central nervous system.
Since catastrophic injuries are permanent, those who suffer from them can often no longer care for themselves or return to work. Additionally, catastrophic injury victims often face substantial medical bills from the extensive treatment and care they require.
This is why it’s so important for catastrophic injury victims whose injuries were caused by another’s negligence to work with an experienced personal injury attorney so they can recover the compensation they need to care for themselves without falling into financial ruin.
The term catastrophic injury encompasses a wide range of life-changing medical conditions. As mentioned previously, many injuries considered “catastrophic” affect the central nervous system, since it is likely that injuries affecting that system will be permanent. There are, however, several types of injuries that are considered catastrophic, including:
Traumatic brain injuries (TBIs) are the result of a disruption in the normal function of the brain that can be caused by a bump, blow, or jolt to the head, or penetrating head injury. TBIs are a serious public health problem in the United States and contribute to a significant number of deaths and cases of permanent disability annually. The side effects that TBI victims may experience from their injury include, but are not limited to, the following:
Nearly 18,000 people sustain spinal cord injuries each year in the United States. Such injuries can have devastating consequences, including partial to complete paralysis. Often, those who suffer from spinal cord injuries require live-in care and life-long use of mobility assistance devices. Spinal cord injuries also increase the risks of other dangerous medical events including:
A severe burn injury can be one of the most painful injuries to endure. Depending on the severity of the burn injury, victims may experience a loss of feeling and mobility. Devastating burn injuries often require long-term hospitalization, surgery, and inpatient care with specialized treatment.
Approximately 185,000 people in the United States require an amputation every year. Many amputations result from traumatic injuries—such amputations are known as “traumatic amputations.” Since traumatic amputations do not take place in controlled environments, serious complications may occur and result in long-term problems, including severe bleeding and infections.
Advanced medical procedures often save catastrophic injury victims’ lives, but they can’t always restore them to full health, cognition, and mobility. When people sustain catastrophic injuries, their new normal must integrate daily living with ongoing care, therapeutic maintenance, family assistance, and a serious financial commitment.
Catastrophic injuries can result from a variety of traumatic circumstances. Such situations may include, but are not limited to, the following:
California’s comparative negligence doctrine recognizes that when an accident is caused by someone’s negligence, liability is often shared by more than one person or entity for the same injury event. (In contrast, a strict liability standard applies to product defect cases, meaning that in most cases, anyone in the chain of creation and distribution is responsible when a product causes injury, regardless of whether negligence is shown.)
Several parties may share liability depending on the source of the injury. Of course, the potential for sharing liability also allows opposing parties to claim that the victim contributed to the injuries. At Beston International Law Firm, we prepare our cases diligently to defend against these sorts of claims. If the negligent party is trying to shift blame for your injuries to you, give us a call.
At Beston International Law Firm, our in-house investigators have worked hard to help us maintain professional investigative standards. In past cases, our investigation team has helped us to obtain:
If you have been seriously injured by another person’s negligence, the New York attorneys of Beston International Law Firm, will aggressively pursue financial compensation for the full extent of the damages you have suffered. But how do we quantify those damages? How do you put a number on the lifetime costs of a permanent disability like a brain or spinal cord injury?
That is where life care planning comes in. Our law firm sometimes works with certified life care planning specialists to assess your current and future needs for medical treatment, from office visits to surgeries to prescription medications.
That life care plan will project your needs for the following:
In cases where a life care plan is appropriate, once the life care plan is complete, we work with economists to project the lifetime costs of those needs. We consider all costs related to your injury, including pain and suffering, wage loss and loss of future earning potential.
If you have sustained a brain injury or spinal cord injury, you know how profoundly your life has changed. While medical treatments and rehabilitation therapies cannot give you your old life back, they can help give you the skills you need to adjust to your new circumstances.
When representing people who have suffered life-altering injuries, our attorneys will consider the need for vocational rehabilitation as well as medical treatment and other therapies, like physical therapy, occupational therapy and speech therapy. Vocational rehabilitation specialists can help you explore potential areas of employment, learn new job skills, and provide the support you may need to obtain and keep employment.
It’s vital that catastrophic injury victims receive high-quality medical treatment and rehabilitative care so they have the best chance of regaining what they had lost in their accident.
Below are some common treatments for those who have suffered devastating injuries.
We know that a catastrophic injury can be physically, emotionally, and financially devastating, and we’re here to make the legal process as efficient for you as possible. We’re passionate about protecting plaintiffs’ rights, and we have recovered billions of dollars in verdicts and settlements for our clients.
If you or someone you love suffered a catastrophic injury caused by another’s conduct, our New York trial attorneys can help you recover the compensation you deserve for your damages, including high-quality medical treatment.
Catastrophic injury victims can easily fall into financial ruin due to the extensive medical treatment they require, as well as their inability to return to work and support themselves.
The damages you may be able to recover through a personal injury lawsuit include:
The lifetime costs of a catastrophic injury can be insurmountable for some. Catastrophic injuries are often permanent in nature, which means that those who suffer from them typically require long-term, high-quality medical treatment and rehabilitative care in order to make strides in their recovery.
There are several different elements that add up to make a catastrophic injury so expensive, including the following:
There is no denying that a catastrophic injury victim may require lifelong care. Such care may differ greatly depending on the type of injury sustained—whether that be a brain injury, a burn injury, an injury requiring amputation, or something else. The common denominator between all of these injuries is that the victims who suffer from them will likely need treatment for the rest of their lives. Such extensive medical treatment can quickly overwhelm a victim and their family financially.
Since catastrophic injuries are often permanent in nature, most victims will never be able to return to work or support themselves. Or, if they’re able to work, they’re not able to return to their normal job and can only do a job that involves less physical or mental work, and pays less. So, not only do catastrophic injury victims face monumental medical bills, but they also are robbed of the income to pay them.
Some catastrophic injury victims require 24/7 care and, as such, need to have someone living with them to provide medical care. Others require help with activities of daily living (ADLs) for periods of time during the day or at night. This person could be a family member who is put out of work to do so, or a medical professional who must be paid for their services.
All of these expenses can easily cost a catastrophic injury victim and their family more than they could ever afford on their own.
Given this high financial toll, a catastrophic injury victim and their family must retain experienced legal representation, so they have a better chance of recovering the compensation they need and deserve to pay for such expenses.
our New York catastrophic injury attorneys are passionate about protecting plaintiffs’ rights and helping them move forward after a tragedy. We have a strong track record of success in obtaining significant verdicts and settlements for our clients, and we’re here to do the same for you.
Catastrophic injury claims typically involve higher medical costs, longer recovery periods, and greater damages for pain, suffering, and loss of earning capacity. As a result, these claims often involve more complex legal and financial considerations.
Liability can fall on individuals, companies, property owners, employers, or government entities, depending on how the injury occurred. Proving negligence or fault is essential for holding the responsible party accountable.
In most cases, California law gives you two years from the date of the injury to file a personal injury lawsuit. However, claims against government agencies have shorter deadlines—sometimes as little as six months—so it’s critical to act quickly.
California follows a pure comparative negligence rule, meaning you can still recover damages even if you were partially at fault—your compensation will simply be reduced by your percentage of fault.
Future damages such as medical care, therapy, lost earning capacity, and life-care costs are typically calculated with the help of medical experts, life-care planners, and financial analysts.
Yes, in some cases, family members may be entitled to loss of consortium or damages for the emotional impact the injury has had on their relationship with the victim.
The value of your claim depends on the severity of your injuries, the impact on your life and ability to work, the cost of ongoing care, and the level of negligence involved. An attorney can give you a more specific estimate after reviewing your case.
Yes, due to the high stakes and complex nature of these cases, working with an experienced New York catastrophic injury lawyer is strongly recommended. our New York catastrophic injury attorney can help investigate, value the claim, negotiate with insurers, and litigate if necessary.
While many firms will agree to handle a catastrophic case, few have the experience and resources to produce consistently successful outcomes. That’s why our team handles the complex catastrophic cases that other, less-experienced firms struggle to handle.
At Beston International Law Firm, our New York catastrophic injury attorneys prepare our clients’ cases from day one as though trial were inevitable. When the opposing party is reasonable, prudent, and fair, we have no problem negotiating a settlement. But if we cannot reach an appropriate settlement for our client’s case, we do not flinch at proceeding to trial and positioning our case for the best results possible.
We dedicate our law practice to injured people who have sustained severe brain trauma, spinal cord injuries, amputations, and other catastrophic injuries due to someone else’s negligence or reckless conduct. We not only represent catastrophic injury victims, but we also provide our skills and resources to other personal injury attorneys in New York and Southern California.
To get started with a catastrophic injury claim in New York, CA, contact us at 6463059656 today.
Named in Best Lawyers® “Best Law Firms,” Beston International Law Firm ranks as Tier 1 Personal Injury Litigation- Plaintiffs in New York.
Many firm members have been honored by the Consumer Attorneys of California, including Browne Greene, Christine Spagnoli, and Bruce Broillet, recipients of the Marvin E. Lewis Award. In addition, attorneys Bruce Broillet, Scott Carr, Molly McKibben, and Tobin Lanzetta has been honored with the Consumer Attorney of the Year Award.
All of our attorneys are proud to be active members of the New York County Bar Association or LACBA.
Our attorneys were featured in TopVerdict for having one of the Top 10 Wrongful Death Verdicts in California in 2019, with $15 million won for the plaintiff in Keck v. Bel-Air Bay Club.
Partners Geoff Wells and Ivan Puchalt were both named among the 2025 Consumer Attorney Visionaries by LA Times Studios.
Several partners are active members in the Consumer Attorneys Association of New York, with attorneys Browne Greene, Bruce Broillet, and Christine Spagnoli named “Trial Lawyer of the Year.”
Firm partners Christine D. Spagnoli and Molly McKibben have both been honored by the Women Lawyers Association of New York and are active members.
After winning $2.6 million for the plaintiff’s side in a head-on collision case, our victory was named in the Top 50 Personal Injury Verdicts in California in 2019 by TopVerdict.
Several of our partners are members in the American Board of Trial Advocates, a national invite-only association consisting of the most experienced trial lawyers.
Our team includes several Fellows and Associates with the invite-only International Society of Barristers in recognition of their trial advocacy.
Beston International Law Firm, was featured by TopVerdict in the Top 100 Settlements across all practice areas in California for 2019.
Bruce A. Broillet and Christine D. Spagnoli are Fellows with the invite-only International Academy of Trial Lawyers, a group of elite trial lawyers from over 30 countries.
Recipients of this recognition are held up to the same standards as for The Best Lawyers in America, but only legal professionals in the first ten years of their careers qualify. Four attorneys at GBW have been recognized with this award in 2021.
Founding partners Browne Greene and Bruce A. Broillet are both members of the exclusive invite-only Inner Circle of Advocates, as two of the top 100 plaintiff trial lawyers in America.
Our firm has more attorneys on the Super Lawyers® and Rising Stars lists than any other law firm in Southern California, with 15 members selected.
