New Jersey Personal Injury Lawyers Fight for Clients with Catastrophic Injuries

Capable and compassionate representation determined to maximize compensation

The word catastrophe is often misused to exaggerate a negative event that’s easily overcome and soon forgotten. But when it comes to catastrophic injuries, the word often doesn’t suffice to convey the magnitude of a victim’s suffering. At Razi & Giampa Law in Paramus, our personal injury attorneys have represented clients whose lives have been totally upended by injuries from which they will never fully recover. As advocates for the injured, we are determined to secure the highest level of compensation possible for their economic losses and especially for their imponderable pain and suffering. If you or a loved one has suffered a severe injury, you can trust our proven trial lawyers to pursue the full compensation your injuries deserve.

What qualifies as a ‘catastrophic’ injury?

A catastrophic injury is one that is so severe that it forever changes the life of a victim. This means the victim sustains a permanent loss of function, permanent disfigurement, and/or chronic pain. Catastrophic injuries are totally disabling, at least temporarily, and may force an individual to retire or change careers, often at a substantial loss of income. Importantly, a catastrophic injury has a lasting impact on an individual’s quality of life and enjoyment of life. The first term refers to the overall standard of one’s existence. The latter encompasses the specific interests, activities, hobbies, and talents which had enriched one’s life, but are now impossible to maintain.

Damages for catastrophic injuries

Perhaps the best way to explain damages for a catastrophic injury is through example. Suppose a ballet dancer entering her prime loses a foot in an auto accident. Her economic damages would include:

• Present and future medical bills related to the injury
• Rehabilitation costs
• Cost of a prosthetic
• Present and future lost income, based on likely earnings from a ballet career

She could also claim noneconomic damages, which include compensation for:

• Physical pain — Amounts depend on intensity, frequency, and likely duration of the pain. Medical experts would testify as to whether her pain would subside.
• Mental suffering — There are many levels to explore here. There is the suffering of a woman who has lost a limb. This encompasses her distress over the practical effects of her loss as well as her sorrow over no longer being whole. There is also the anguish of a promising artist who has lost her career in dance.
• Loss of quality of life — These damages compensate for the extent to which a person who lost a foot faces everyday challenges. This can include the social burden the injury inflicts.
• Loss of enjoyment of life — If her hobby had been collecting stamps, the injury would have had no impact on that pursuit. But since this woman lost the ability to pursue a specific talent she had cultivated for years and which had enriched and defined her life, these damages can be substantial.

As your legal advocates, we are determined to obtain the largest settlement possible, and to fight for justice in court, if necessary.

Types of injuries generally considered ‘catastrophic’

Has the injury you’ve suffered changed your life? Is that change likely to be permanent? If so, you have sustained a catastrophic injury, which probably falls into one of these categories:

• Traumatic Brain Injury — TBI impacts the brain, which is the seat of our intelligence and personality, as well as the command center for the rest of our body. Even mild TBI can be considered catastrophic.
• Burns, scarring and disfigurement — A severe burn can damage bodily functions and make a person more prone to chronic infection. Additionally, burns (as well as physical trauma) can leave disfiguring scars that change how the world perceives us.
• Loss of limbs — The loss of any body part is considered a catastrophic injury.
• Bone fractures — Simple fractures heal in a few weeks without complications, but multiple, displaced fractures can require extensive surgery to repair. The bone’s integrity is never fully restored.
• Soft tissue injuries — Although many insurance companies scoff at whiplash claims, these injuries can result in chronic pain, weakness, and loss of mobility. Unlike other attorneys who rush to settle these claims, we are willing to go to court to enforce your rights.
• Internal organ injuries — The trauma of a car crash can easily damage lungs, spleen, liver, heart, and digestive organs, leading to lifelong difficulties.
• Paralysis — Spinal cord trauma can inflict total or partial paralysis below the impact point, leading to permanent disability.

Cases such as these are too important to trust to a lawyer who is not a proven litigator. At Razi & Giampa Law, you get compassionate attorneys who are willing to fight and have the skills to deliver the results you need.

Contact Razi & Giampa Law in Paramus for a free catastrophic injury consultation

Razi & Giampa Law in Paramus provides highly professional and personalized representation for clients with catastrophic injuries in Bergen County and throughout New Jersey. To schedule a free consultation at our office, in your home, or at the hospital, call us today at 201-534-5011 or contact our firm online.