San Bernardino hospitals regularly treat injury victims whose lives have been forever changed by catastrophic trauma. Spinal cord damage, traumatic brain injuries, and amputations often follow high-impact crashes, workplace incidents, or unsafe property conditions. People who have suffered catastrophic injuries often face permanent limitations, require lifelong medical care, and are forced to make major changes to their lives. These types of injuries affect earning capacity, mobility, and independence. A San Bernardino catastrophic injury lawyer becomes essential to protect long-term interests, as these cases require planning for decades of treatment, financial support, and accountability rather than quick insurance resolutions.
Addressing those realities demands trial preparation, medical insight, and experience with complex injury litigation. Greene Broillet & Wheeler represents individuals throughout San Bernardino and Southern California who face catastrophic injuries. We handle every catastrophic injury case with a disciplined, trial-focused approach designed to pursue accountability and maximum compensation for the long-term needs of our clients.
Catastrophic injury litigation requires preparation, resources, and courtroom readiness. Greene Broillet & Wheeler has earned recognition across California for handling complex injury claims involving life-altering harm. Each case gets focused attention and strategic planning aimed at the most favorable outcome possible.
The firm maintains a strong foundation in catastrophic injury representation through:
Our approach has led to significant outcomes in catastrophic injury litigation. Some of our cases include a $14.4 million verdict in Pascua/White v. Industrial Asphalt, which involved severe brain damage caused by an improperly serviced asphalt truck. We also won an $8.8 million verdict in Brezovec v. State of California due to a traumatic brain injury suffered by a 14-year-old vehicle passenger. In Cueto v. Braun, we obtained a $7 million settlement as a result of a tractor-trailer collision that led to arm amputation and traumatic brain injury.
Past results do not guarantee similar outcomes, and each case depends on its specific facts, evidence, and applicable law. As San Bernardino catastrophic injury lawyers, we remain committed to preparing every case with accountability as our primary objective, presenting evidence in a persuasive way, consulting qualified experts, and positioning each claim for success through informed settlement discussions or, when necessary, trial proceedings. We are committed to pursuing compensation and demanding justice for our injured clients.
Most personal injury claims center on recovery from temporary harm. Catastrophic injuries change that framework. Permanent disability, chronic pain, or cognitive impairment can reshape a person’s ability to work, live independently, and maintain financial stability for life. When injuries carry lifelong consequences, a San Bernardino catastrophic injury lawyer must evaluate future medical care, long-term rehabilitation, adaptive living needs, and diminished earning capacity from the outset rather than treating damages as short-term losses.
Addressing catastrophic harm requires a legal strategy capable of standing up to aggressive opposition from insurers and defendants who often dispute the extent of long-term damage. Future medical needs, life care costs, and earning limitations frequently become the most contested issues in these cases. Without thorough preparation and credible expert support, insurers attempt to narrow compensation to short-term expenses, leaving injured individuals exposed to decades of unmet needs. A legal strategy built for catastrophic injury focuses on proving long-term impact with detailed evidence, expert testimony, and careful case development under California law.
Severe injuries often result from high-impact or high-risk incidents across San Bernardino County. Population growth, heavy commercial traffic, increasingly distracted drivers, and ongoing industrial activity all exacerbate exposure to danger. Based on the catastrophic injury cases we have handled at Greene Broillet & Wheeler, some of the most common causes include:
Each of these incidents raises distinct questions about responsibility and causation, making thorough investigation essential when permanent injuries reshape a person’s future.
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Catastrophic injury compensation involves a detailed evaluation of both financial loss and personal harm. Economic damages are calculated by reviewing current and future medical treatment, lost income, diminished earning capacity, and anticipated care needs. Because catastrophic injuries often require lifelong support, experts analyze medical records, treatment plans, projected expenses, inflation, and life expectancy to estimate long-term financial impact.
Non-economic damages focus on personal loss rather than financial records or invoices. These damages include pain, suffering, emotional distress, and mental anguish, all evaluated through medical evidence, testimony from witnesses, and documentary evidence like photographs, videos, letters, cards, etc.
In cases involving particularly reckless or intentional conduct, California law may also allow punitive damages. In California, courts assess punitive damages based on the nature of the conduct instead of the extent of loss.
Comparative fault principles may influence final recovery because California assigns responsibility percentages to each party involved. Insurers often raise shared fault arguments to reduce damages or shift liability among defendants, particularly in complex catastrophic injury cases. A San Bernardino catastrophic injury lawyer reviews how fault gets assigned, pushes back against unsupported blame arguments, and seeks compensation aligned with the lasting impact of a permanent injury.
The steps taken after a catastrophic injury can significantly impact medical recovery, financial stability, and legal options for years to come. Prioritizing medical care comes first, followed by preserving information and seeking guidance that protects long-term interests.
Clear documentation plays a crucial role after a catastrophic injury, as medical care and legal accountability often depend on the same records. Photographs from the scene, witness statements, incident reports, and medical records help explain how the injury occurred and why the harm carries long-term consequences. Medical documentation should reflect immediate trauma while also tracking ongoing limitations, treatment needs, and recovery setbacks.
When records remain incomplete or treatment appears inconsistent, insurers often question injury severity, making early organization and careful preservation of evidence critical.
Long-term planning becomes essential after a catastrophic injury because medical needs rarely end with initial treatment. Many individuals face future surgeries, extended rehabilitation, home modifications, the need for specialized vehicles, and ongoing attendant care. These needs often coincide with reduced earning capacity or the inability to return to prior work.
Effective legal planning accounts for both medical and financial realities from the outset, ensuring projected costs and income loss shape the strategy rather than short-term settlement pressure.
Responsibility for a catastrophic injury depends on how the incident occurred and which parties contributed to the harm. Liability may extend to one or multiple parties, including:
California law imposes strict deadlines and procedural requirements, particularly when claims involve public entities. Working with a San Bernardino catastrophic injury lawyer helps ensure all responsible parties get identified while adhering to required notices and statutory timelines.
Catastrophic injuries raise complex questions about responsibility, future care, and financial security. A San Bernardino catastrophic injury lawyer at Greene Broillet & Wheeler helps individuals and families navigate these claims while protecting long-term interests under California law. For guidance on next steps and available options, call 866-634-4525 to schedule a free consultation.
Areas We Serve
Los Angeles, Riverside, Santa Monica
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Tim J. Wheeler is the Firm’s Managing Partner and a highly accomplished California trial lawyer with decades of experience in product liability, personal injury, employment, and complex negligence cases. He has secured over 150 verdicts and settlements exceeding $1 million, including landmark results such as the largest personal injury verdict against the City of Los Angeles at the time and record jury awards for brain injury and wrongful termination cases. Tim is a former Personal Injury Lawyer of the Year and Product Liability Lawyer of the Year in Los Angeles, and a long-standing honoree of Best Lawyers in America and Super Lawyers.
Named in Best Lawyers® “Best Law Firms,” Greene Broillet & Wheeler, LLP ranks as Tier 1 Personal Injury Litigation- Plaintiffs in Los Angeles.
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 Los Angeles 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 Los Angeles, 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 Los Angeles 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.
Greene Broillet & Wheeler, LLP, 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.
This page has been written, edited, and reviewed by a team of legal writers following our comprehensive editorial guidelines. This page was approved by Founding Partiner, Tim J. Wheeler who has more than 20 years of legal experience as a personal injury attorney.
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