Rights to Compensation After Crash

Replacement And Rights in Tracy, CA

What Are Your Rights to Compensation After a Catastrophic Injury?

Catastrophic injuries are often associated with motor vehicle crashes. Often, personal injury lawyers who handle catastrophic injury cases work with clients who have been involved in big rig crashes and motorcycle accidents, although other incidents such as dog attacks can also inflict catastrophic injuries. Due to the complexity of these cases, it’s essential to get in touch with a lawyer in Tracy or Manteca right away to discuss your right to seek compensation.

Defining Catastrophic Injuries

The legal definition of catastrophic injuries is broad. It encompasses every type of severe injury that is expected to result in life-altering and long-term problems. This includes permanent, debilitating, and disfiguring injuries that cause deficits in any major area of an individual’s functioning. For example, some common catastrophic injuries include the amputation of one or more body parts, the loss of vision or hearing, severe burn injuries, partial or total paralysis, and moderate to severe traumatic brain injuries (TBIs). When you meet with your personal injury lawyer, you’ll be asked to sign a waiver to allow him or her access to your medical records.

Identifying Past Expenses

After assessing the strengths and weaknesses of the case, your injury lawyer will need to determine the amount of compensation that is reasonable for you to seek. The compensation that may be sought in a lawsuit generally includes past, current, and future damages. Your past expenses will likely include costs for surgeries, hospitalization, diagnostics, physical therapy, and other specialized therapies. You might have needed to purchase durable medical equipment, pay for modifications to your home to allow accessibility, and perhaps hire an in-home health aide. It’s important to keep track of all of these expenses. Give copies of your receipts to your injury lawyer.

Calculating Future Needs

Since catastrophic injuries result in long-term, if not permanent deficits, your lawyer may consult with various experts to determine your anticipated future care needs. These might include additional surgeries, treatments for potential complications, long-term rehabilitative services, medications, and similar expenses. Additionally, you may request compensation for your anticipated partial or total unemployment.

Get Compensated to Replace a Car Seat After a Crash

After a car accident, there is a good chance that your child’s car seat should be replaced, even if there is no obvious damage. Many manufacturers suggest replacement after even a minor accident. If you are dealing with the aftermath of an accident that was not your fault, your personal injury attorney in Tracy or Livermore can help you navigate the process of seeking compensation for all of your damage, including your car seat.

Under California law, a child’s car seat must be replaced if the seat was occupied at the time of the accident. If your child was in the car when the accident occurred, your attorney will pursue replacement on your behalf on these grounds. If the seat was not occupied when the crash occurred, then your attorney can still seek a replacement car seat at no cost to you based on the manufacturer’s recommendation or by demonstrating that the accident does not qualify as a minor crash.