A catastrophic injury can affect a person’s health, independence, finances, and family life. Whether an injury occurred on Highway 99, in a multi-vehicle collision during Tule fog conditions, or in another serious Fresno-area accident, recovery may involve extensive medical care, rehabilitation, and significant financial concerns.
Harris Personal Injury Lawyers, Inc. represents people with catastrophic injury claims in Fresno and throughout the Central Valley. Call our office at (619) 864-7101 to discuss your situation with our team.
Central Valley Roads and Conditions Behind Fresno's Most Severe Crashes
Fresno sits along State Route 99, a significant transportation route used by passenger vehicles and commercial trucks. The Central Valley’s seasonal Tule fog can also create sudden low-visibility conditions. These circumstances can make collisions more complex and may require a careful review of driving behavior, vehicle condition, roadway conditions, and available evidence. State Route 99 is part of the National Highway System and the National Network for STAA trucks.
Highway 99 Truck and Commercial Vehicle Collisions
Commercial trucks and passenger vehicles frequently share State Route 99. When a collision involves a large truck, the vehicle-size and weight disparity can increase the risk of serious injuries. Depending on the circumstances, a claim may involve the driver, trucking company, maintenance provider, cargo loader, or another responsible party.
Tule Fog and Multi-Vehicle Pileups
Tule fog can reduce visibility dramatically and create rapidly changing driving conditions. These conditions may contribute to chain-reaction crashes, particularly when drivers travel too fast for visibility, follow too closely, or fail to use appropriate caution. Dense Tule fog can at times reduce visibility to less than 10 feet.
Common Catastrophic Injuries Handled by Our Fresno Team
Catastrophic injuries vary in severity and prognosis. The type of injury, the person’s medical history, the treatment received, and the opinions of treating providers can all affect the medical path forward and the damages that may be available in a claim.
Brain and Head Trauma
Traumatic brain injuries can range from mild to severe. In some cases, they may cause cognitive, physical, behavioral, or emotional effects that require ongoing medical treatment, rehabilitation, and support.
Spinal Cord Damage and Paralysis
Spinal cord injuries may result in partial or complete paralysis and can affect mobility, sensation, independence, and a person’s ability to work. Long-term needs vary based on the location and extent of the injury.
Serious Burns and Permanent Scarring
Vehicle fires, industrial accidents, and other traumatic events can cause serious burns. Depending on their severity, burns may require specialized treatment, surgery, rehabilitation, and long-term scar-management care.
Loss of a Limb
Serious crashes and workplace accidents can cause crush injuries or amputations. A person may require surgery, prosthetic care, rehabilitation, and accommodations at home or work.
Multiple Trauma and Internal Injuries
High-impact collisions may cause organ damage or injuries involving multiple body systems. These injuries can require coordinated care from multiple medical providers.
Planning for the Long-Term Cost of a Catastrophic Injury
A catastrophic injury may involve more than emergency treatment and immediate medical bills. Depending on the medical prognosis, an injured person may need rehabilitation, assistive equipment, home or vehicle modifications, attendant care, and support for lost income or reduced earning capacity.
Harris Personal Injury Lawyers, Inc. can assess the available evidence and work to identify the past, current, and reasonably anticipated future losses connected to an injury. Future losses must be evaluated on a case-by-case basis and supported by the evidence available.
Filing Your Case in Fresno County Superior Court
Many civil injury lawsuits arising from accidents in Fresno are filed in the Superior Court of California, County of Fresno. The appropriate court and venue depend on the facts of the case, including where the accident occurred and the parties involved. Unlimited civil matters are heard at the B.F. Sisk Courthouse in Fresno.
Court rules, filing deadlines, and evidence requirements can affect a claim. Reviewing the circumstances early can help identify the deadlines and procedures that may apply.
Why Fresno Families Choose Harris Personal Injury Lawyers
Catastrophic injury claims may involve complex medical evidence, multiple insurance policies, accident reconstruction, and questions about future care and lost income. Harris Personal Injury Lawyers, Inc. can investigate what happened, preserve available evidence, communicate with insurance companies, and assess whether one or more parties may be responsible.
In appropriate cases, the firm may work with medical, financial, vocational, and accident-reconstruction professionals to evaluate injury-related losses and the evidence supporting a claim.
Review our case results for examples of prior personal injury matters. Every case is different, and past results do not guarantee a similar outcome.
Speak With a Fresno Catastrophic Injury Lawyer Today
If you or a loved one suffered a catastrophic injury in Fresno, the decisions made in the days and weeks that follow can affect your case for years to come. Our team is ready to step in, investigate what happened, and start building a claim that accounts for your full recovery.
Learn more about our work throughout Fresno, including our approach to brain injury cases. Contact Harris Personal Injury Lawyers, Inc. at (619) 864-7101.
Fresno Catastrophic Injury FAQs
How long will my catastrophic injury case take?
The timeline for a catastrophic injury claim depends on factors such as the severity of the injuries, the course of medical treatment, the availability of evidence, whether fault is disputed, insurance coverage, and whether the case settles or goes to trial.
In some cases, it may be important to understand an injured person’s medical prognosis and anticipated future needs before evaluating a settlement. In other cases, a claim may be resolved earlier. Harris Personal Injury Lawyers, Inc. can explain the factors likely to affect the timeline of your case, but no attorney can guarantee how long a claim will take or what result it will achieve.
Can I file a claim if a commercial truck caused my injuries in Fresno?
A person injured in a commercial truck collision may have a claim against one or more responsible parties, depending on the facts. Potentially responsible parties can include the truck driver, trucking company, vehicle owner, maintenance provider, cargo-loading company, or another party whose conduct contributed to the crash.
Determining responsibility requires an investigation of the available evidence, which may include police reports, driver logs, inspection records, vehicle data, maintenance records, witness statements, and video footage.
What does hiring a Fresno catastrophic injury lawyer cost?
Harris Personal Injury Lawyers, Inc. generally handles personal injury cases on a contingency-fee basis. This generally means there are no upfront attorney’s fees, and attorney’s fees are paid from a recovery if one is obtained. The written fee agreement will explain the fee percentage, litigation costs, and how expenses are handled in your case.