A Riverside catastrophic injury lawyer becomes essential when a high-speed truck accident on the 91 freeway results in serious injuries, or a dangerous property condition leads to injury at a local mall or grocery store. Perhaps a defective product has left you with permanent scars. In the aftermath of a catastrophic and life-altering injury, you may be trying to make sense of your diagnosis, manage sudden financial strain, and deal with insurers seeking information before you know the full extent of your injuries.
These situations call for clear guidance, early evidence preservation, and a legal team equipped to address the long-term consequences of a catastrophic injury. You may face complex medical needs, major lifestyle disruptions, and financial pressures that escalate quickly after a severe injury. Greene Broillet & Wheeler represents catastrophic injury victims throughout Riverside and Southern California. Through careful preparation and a focused commitment to protecting your future, we will demand the justice and compensation you deserve.
Why Choose Us to Present Your Case?
When you trust Greene Broillet & Wheeler with your catastrophic injury case, you gain a legal team known for its meticulous case preparation and consistent success in securing significant outcomes for our clients. For over fifty years, we have represented individuals whose lives have been permanently altered by negligence, with a focus on delivering results that make a real difference. Whether your injuries were caused by another individual’s negligence or reckless behavior, or whether a municipality, government agency, or corporation is responsible for your pain and suffering, we have the resources and experience to fight for you.
Our firm has earned widespread recognition for our commitment to excellence, including honors from U.S. News—Best Law Firms, Best Lawyers in America, and Super Lawyers. These distinctions reflect the standard of preparation and advocacy we bring to every lawsuit we handle. This approach has contributed to meaningful outcomes in past cases:
- Pascua/White v. Industrial Asphalt: We secured a $14.4 million verdict after demonstrating how critical maintenance failures led to a catastrophic collision.
- Garcia v. Los Angeles County MTA: We secured a $13.82 million verdict by presenting evidence regarding the long-term effects of a severe brain injury on a bus passenger’s life.
While results depend on the specific facts of each case, these examples illustrate the level of analysis and case development we strive to deliver. They also demonstrate that there is no adversary too large for us to challenge.
We handle every case through detailed investigation and expert collaboration, committed to securing the strongest possible recovery for our clients. As your Riverside catastrophic injury lawyer, you’ll receive focused attention from the entire legal team managing your case. This means every detail receives the attention and urgency it requires, providing you with confidence and clarity throughout the process.
Types of Catastrophic Injury Claims We Handle
Catastrophic injuries cause permanent or long-term impairment that limits a person’s ability to live independently, hold employment, or handle routine tasks. These types of catastrophic cases demand sophisticated investigation, thorough documentation, and precise assessment of future losses. Over five decades, we have represented catastrophic injury cases involving:
- Traumatic Brain Injuries (TBIs): Collisions at high speeds, falls, and defective equipment can cause significant brain trauma, leading to cognitive impairment, memory loss, speech difficulties, and long-term neurological damage.
- Spinal Cord Injuries: Spinal injuries may result in partial or total paralysis, loss of mobility, and chronic pain, often requiring long-term care, rehabilitation, and home adaptations.
- Severe Burns: Explosions, fires, and electrical incidents can lead to permanent disfigurement, nerve damage, and the need for surgeries, skin grafts, and long-term rehabilitation.
- Amputations: Accidents involving machinery, vehicles, or industrial equipment can result in amputations, permanently altering mobility, independence, and career potential.
- Organ Damage and Internal Trauma: High-impact injuries or crushing injuries may cause internal bleeding, organ loss, and lasting health complications that require ongoing medical intervention.
- Multiple Fractures and Orthopedic Trauma: Complex fractures from high-force collisions require surgical treatment and extended rehabilitation and often result in permanent impairment or loss of function.
We carefully investigate all aspects of your case, considering the actions of all negligent parties, including drivers, employers, product manufacturers, property owners, and government entities in an effort to obtain maximum compensation for you.
Evidence that Can Help Prove Your Catastrophic Injury Case
Establishing liability in catastrophic injury lawsuits requires strong documentation and a direct link between the negligent act and the resulting harm, which is essential when working with a Riverside catastrophic injury lawyer.
Defendants and insurers often challenge these cases due to the high financial exposure involved, so evidence must be gathered early and preserved with care. The most effective categories of proof typically include:
- Accident Reports and Official Documentation: Police reports, incident logs, OSHA findings, employer safety records, and fire department investigations provide an initial factual foundation.
- Photographs, Video Footage, and Digital Evidence: Images from the scene, surveillance recordings, dashcams, and cellphone videos help establish how the incident occurred and identify hazardous conditions.
- Medical Records and Expert Evaluations: Emergency care notes, diagnostic imaging, surgical records, rehabilitation summaries, and specialist reports demonstrate the severity of the injury and support the long-term outlook.
- Witness Statements: Early interviews with eyewitnesses help preserve memory and confirm the unsafe actions that contributed to the incident.
- Product Testing and Mechanical Inspection: In product liability matters, we work with engineers to examine failed components, defective equipment, or flawed safety mechanisms.
- Employment and Wage Documentation: Payroll records, tax returns, and employer statements help establish past income and the value of future lost earning capacity.
- Life-Care Plans and Economic Projections: Catastrophic injury cases often involve permanent disability. Economists and life-care planners analyze future treatment needs, assistive devices, and long-term medical support.
This structured approach allows us to present a clear picture of what occurred, how the injury developed, and the full scope of the resulting losses. By building a case with independent evidence and expert-supported analysis, we create a strong foundation for pursuing the compensation you deserve.
How Long You Have to File an Injury Lawsuit in California
California law sets strict deadlines for filing personal injury lawsuits, including catastrophic injury claims. Under California Code of Civil Procedure § 335.1, most personal injury cases must be filed within two years from the date of injury, and missing this deadline removes the ability to seek compensation, no matter how strong the underlying evidence may be.
However, some situations follow different rules. When a government agency is involved in a catastrophic injury case, an administrative claim must be filed within six months under the California Government Claims Act. If an injury is not immediately noticeable, the filing period may begin when the harm is discovered, and minors or individuals with limited capacity may receive additional time based on their circumstances.
Because these timelines vary, contacting a Riverside catastrophic injury lawyer as early as possible helps ensure every required step is completed on time. We evaluate the applicable deadlines, handle the necessary filings, and take measures to prevent defendants from using timing rules to avoid accountability.
Compensation You May Receive After a Catastrophic Injury
The financial impact of a catastrophic injury reaches far beyond emergency care or short-term medical bills. Many individuals face years of treatment, long-term rehabilitation, the need for adaptive equipment, and major changes to their daily routines. These cases often involve permanent or life-altering conditions, which is why California law allows injured individuals to pursue full compensation for both immediate and future losses.
Compensation available in a catastrophic injury lawsuit may include:
- Medical Expenses: Surgeries, hospitalization, rehabilitation, medication, assistive devices, and ongoing medical treatment needed for recovery.
- Lost Income and Reduced Earning Capacity: Wages lost during recovery and future earnings affected by permanent or long-term limitations.
- Pain and Suffering: Compensation for physical pain, emotional distress, reduced independence, and overall hardship.
- Loss of Enjoyment of Life: Inability to participate in activities, hobbies, family routines, or personal pursuits once part of daily life.
- Disfigurement and Loss of Mobility: Financial recovery for permanent physical changes that affect appearance, confidence, and functional ability.
- Long-Term Care and Support Services: Costs for home health assistance, mobility support, residential care, and ongoing daily living needs.
- Property Damage: Repair or replacement of damaged vehicles and compensation for personal items lost in the incident.
- Punitive Damages: California Civil Code § 3294 allows additional damages in rare cases involving intentional, malicious, or reckless conduct.
When we serve as your Riverside catastrophic injury lawyer, we evaluate each category of damages with care. We consult medical professionals, economists, and life-care planners to capture the full extent of your losses and present a comprehensive valuation of the harm you have endured. We aim to get the support you need immediately and over the long term.
Contact a Riverside Catastrophic Injury Lawyer
Working with a Riverside catastrophic injury lawyer gives you an advocate who understands the stakes and prepares your case with the detail serious injuries demand. At Greene Broillet & Wheeler, we rely on five decades of experience and comprehensive resources to seek full compensation and ensure negligent parties are held legally responsible for the harm they caused.
For a confidential discussion about your options and how we can help, call 866-634-4525 or contact us online to schedule a free consultation.
Contact a Riverside lawyer near you:
Bruce A. Broillet
Bruce A. Broillet is a nationally recognized California trial lawyer and partner, inducted into both the CAALA Hall of Fame and the Lawdragon Hall of Fame, and a member of the elite Inner Circle of Advocates. He has achieved numerous seven- and eight-figure results, including a $3.3 billion settlement against Big Tobacco, the landmark $55 million Erin Andrews verdict, and the largest legal malpractice verdict in California history. Widely regarded as one of the state’s most accomplished plaintiff lawyers, Bruce is a former Consumer Attorney of the Year and a perennial honoree of Best Lawyers in America and Super Lawyers.