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Long Beach Personal Injury Attorney

Speak With a Long Beach Trial Lawyer After a Serious Accident

Have you been involved in a crash in L.A. County? Were you injured? Did you lose a loved one as the result of another person’s reckless behavior?

You've been wounded – both physically and emotionally. No legal action can undo your trauma, but a successful personal injury claim can help you overcome the economic hurdles your family may be facing. While you may need additional or ongoing treatment, you should be able to do so in relative financial comfort.

But, you'll need strong legal representation to pursue your claim. Insurance companies are not in the habit of offering fair amounts to their insureds’ victims. The Law Firm of Joseph H. Low IV has been handling personal injury cases since 2002 and has recovered tens of millions of dollars for clients. To schedule a free consultation, please call (562) 901-0840 today.


Personal Injury Case Results

  • $10.5 Million: Brain Injury
  • $4.6 Million: Personal Injury
  • $2.8 Million: Personal Injury
  • $2.11 Million: Wrongful Death in Car Accident
  • $1.7 Million: Wrongful Death
  • $950,000: Personal Injury
  • $750,000: Personal Injury
  • $738,000: Car Accident resulting in Brain Injury
  • $300,000: Police Brutality

Disclaimer: The case results mentioned on this page are not intended to be representative of usual results. Each case is different and a prospective client's individual facts and circumstances may differ from those of the results and testimonials provided. To discuss your case and the range of reasonable case values, please contact The Law Firm of Joseph H. Low IV.


What Is a Personal Injury Lawsuit?

Personal injury lawsuits in California are an aspect of "tort law," which deals with wrongful acts by individuals that cause harm or loss to another. Every person is expected to uphold a "standard of care" and take reasonable steps to keep other people safe. In a personal injury case, you must generally prove the other person or business was "negligent" and this negligent behavior directly led to your injury. Here are some situations that may become grounds for a catastrophic injury claim in Los Angeles County:

Car Accidents. Thousands of crashes occur daily in Southern California. They can include multiple vehicles, bicyclists, pedestrians, and commercial vehicles such as buses or semi-trucks. Usually, at least one driver is to blame for what happened – cars don’t spontaneously crash. For example, if a driver is distracted by his smartphone and runs a red light, hitting you, he should be the one paying for your bills.

Falls. Falls are a leading cause of death in the United States, especially for vulnerable populations like children or the elderly. Unsafe conditions can be fixed by property owners, and they are required by law to maintain their properties in a reasonably safe condition for lawful visitors. Poor upkeep of stairs, insufficient lighting, and allowing water to pool in a place people need to walk can all make a landlord liable after a slip-and-fall.

Medical Malpractice. We trust doctors. Unfortunately, they make mistakes all the time. If a doctor doesn’t diagnose you properly, or an anesthesiologist doesn’t keep an eye on your oxygen levels during surgery and you suffer brain damage, they’re the ones to blame, not you. When a patient is harmed by a preventable error, financial liability falls on the doctor or medical professional who made the error, but these cases are tougher to prove and require an attorney with medical malpractice experience.

Assault and Intentional Damage. Intentional injury can also be grounds for a civil lawsuit, but it may or may not be worth pursuing against the perpetrator. Filing a claim against the perpetrator will be separate from any criminal charges after an assault, and the outcomes will not be connected. In many cases, it’s a better idea to file a premises liability claim against the property owner if a lack of security allowed the assailant to commit the crime.

Workplace Injuries. Construction sites see thousands of deaths every year, but any workplace can be dangerous. A workers’ compensation claim can help with your financial difficulties, but you may be able to file an additional personal injury claim if a third-party company was responsible for your on-the-job injury or illness.

Nursing Home Abuse. When a caregiver betrays your trust and abuses or neglects a loved one in their care, it is important to hold them accountable for their actions. Personal injury claims following nursing home abuse are separate from criminal charges and are often needed to get the victim the care he or she needs to recover mentally and physically.

What Are Some Common Injuries?

After any accident, seek immediate medical attention and follow your doctor's orders. This documentation will help you if you end up filing a personal injury case. Here are the injuries we at The Law Firm of Joseph H. Low IV often see in Long Beach accidents:

Brain Injuries. A blow to the head is serious, since it often results in some level of brain damage. Brain damage can result in numerous short-term or lifelong complications, making daily tasks far more difficult and affecting your personal relationships as well as your health.

Spine Injuries. Trauma to the spine is also dangerous, since it can easily damage the central nervous system. When this occurs, it can result in chronic nerve pain that can be difficult to manage without surgery and painkillers. If the spinal cord is severed, you can be paralyzed.

Respiratory Injuries and Illness. A relatively common occupational injury in construction and manufacturing, lung damage can result in difficulty breathing, poor overall health, and even death. It can occur due to direct trauma from an impact, or due to toxic chemicals or fumes that build up over time. In any case, respiratory damage is difficult to recover from and often requires extensive medical treatment.

Bone Fractures. Broken bones may seem minor, but they can cause serious damage if not treated promptly, like amputation or compartment syndrome. Healing a broken bone takes time, may hinder a person's ability to work, and may become more serious as a person grows older. Many elderly victims suffer life-changing hip fractures after a slip-and-fall.

Lacerations. Cuts are common in an accident. They usually require minimal medical treatment, though there is a risk of infection following such an injury. One doctor’s mistake can turn a simple cut into a major medical emergency and send the bills skyrocketing.

Internal Organ Damage. Bicycle accidents are often a source of organ rupture, but a seatbelt can also cause the same trauma in a high-speed car accident. Damage to internal organs usually requires surgical treatment to repair and long hospital stays. Infections like sepsis are a real risk in these situations.

Birth Injuries. Birth is inherently traumatic, and when doctors don’t pay attention, mothers and children can suffer lifelong injuries. Medical staff are liable when they fail to act during pregnancy and childbirth. Cerebral palsy, brachial plexus injuries, and brain damage are just some of the dangers infants face as they are born.

What Is Considered a Catastrophic Injury?

Any injury can affect a person's life greatly, but some injuries are severe enough to impact someone's life long-term; these are considered catastrophic injuries. Catastrophic injuries can happen in many different types of accidents. Hundreds of thousands of people suffer catastrophic injuries each year in the United States. Some of the most common types of catastrophic injuries include:

Traumatic Brain Injuries – Injuries to the brain can result in serious, long-term consequences that completely change a person's lifestyle and earning potential. Brain damage can impact someone's ability to speak, see, hear, and interact with others. Some minor injuries can be overcome through treatment and physical therapy, while others may result in life-long disability.

Burns – While very minor burns only cause physical pain and leave blisters, severe burns can result in disfigurement, loss of limbs, and other serious complications. The tissue damage caused by intense burns is very destructive to a person's skin, and extensive surgery may be necessary to repair the damage. Additional burn injuries to muscles, nerves, and internal organs can require extensive physical therapy for recovery or result in permanent disability.

Birth Injuries – Since infants are so vulnerable during childbirth, birth injuries often cause long-term disabilities and complications. This can include injuries involving the umbilical cord as well as those caused by the negligence of medical professionals or complications during a prolonged labor. Some of these injuries and resulting disabilities might not become fully apparent until years after birth, which makes long-term care and monitoring vital for a child's wellbeing.

Paralysis (Paraplegia and Quadriplegia) – Paralysis typically occurs as a result of a serious injury to the nervous system, usually to the brain or spinal cord. These injuries damage the nerves that allow signals to travel from the arms and legs to the brain. Once such damage occurs, it can require extensive treatment and physical therapy to recover from them, or recovery may be impossible. Paralysis causes life-long changes to daily activities and often results in partial or total disability.

Spinal Cord Injuries – Injuries to the spinal cord often result in serious, chronic pain, difficulty moving, and sometimes paralysis. Within the spinal column are bundles of nerves that transmit information from the brain to all parts of a person's body. When these nerves are pinched or damaged, the results can be quite serious. Pain control, surgery, and extensive physical therapy may be necessary to recover from even fairly minor spinal cord injuries.

Amputation Injuries – Accidents that cause or result in amputation are not only physically painful but can also be emotionally damaging. Losing a limb is often a traumatic experience, even if it happens during a surgical procedure due to other injury, illness, or complications with treatment. Physical therapy is often required to overcome changes in lifestyle due to amputation, and the financial and psychological costs can be quite daunting.

What Are Common Causes of Catastrophic Injuries?

The Law Firm of Joseph H. Low IV has handled many catastrophic injury cases. These are the most common causes of such injuries we've seen:

Car Accidents – These types of accidents can include both single-vehicle and multi-vehicle collisions. Intoxicated drivers can be particularly hazardous, and high-speed impacts often cause serious crushing injuries, particularly to the neck and back of a driver and other occupants.

Motorcycle Accidents – Since motorcycle riders are more exposed than occupants of a car or truck, the injuries they suffer from an accident are often much more severe. Serious burns, lacerations, and loss of limbs can happen all-too-often due to a motorcycle accident.

Truck Accidents – Large trucks may have more structural protection for occupants but can also be prone to certain types of accidents. Rollovers are far more common for big trucks and similar vehicles, and commercial trucks with trailers may be involved in jackknifing accidents.

Construction Site Accidents – Construction sites are among the most dangerous workplaces in America. Falls, injuries from large machinery, and falling objects can all result in catastrophic injuries that require extensive medical treatment and physical therapy for recovery.

Defective Product Injuries – While most commercial products are thoroughly tested for safety, defects and malfunctions can still occur. Such accidents can result in burns, lacerations, and other serious or catastrophic injuries due to the negligence of a manufacturer.

Any type of catastrophic injury can severely affect your life. A catastrophic injury can leave you with costly medical bills, lost wages, and psychological trauma.

Pursue Compensation for Injuries in Long Beach

The time after an injury can be very difficult for you and your family. The Law Firm of Joseph H. Low IV is here to give you the experienced legal support you need. We can help you pursue the compensation you need to help the healing process. The sooner you contact us, the sooner we can help you fight for compensation for the following:

  • Medical expenses
  • Surgical expenses
  • Future medical bills
  • Long-term health care needs
  • Physical therapy costs
  • Loss of wages (and future wages)
  • Pain and suffering

What Compensation Can I Get After a Personal Injury?

This is one of the most common questions our law office receives, and the answer depends on the circumstances of your accident. The severity of your injuries, the degree of negligence of the other person, and the details of the accident all must be weighed accordingly before a dollar amount can be tallied. However, you can often recover some:

Economic Damages. These are the "monetary" costs of your injury, including medical treatment, hospital stays, and physical therapy – both now and in the future – as well as any property damage that may have happened in the accident.

Non-Economic Damages. These types of damages are often referred to as the "soft costs" of the injury. Emotional trauma, such as pain and suffering, and loss of companionship fall under this particular category.

Depending on the amount of recklessness the defendant showed in causing the accident, you may be entitled to receive punitive damages from him or her. These jury awards seek to punish the at-fault party for gross negligence.

When Should I Contact a Long Beach Personal Injury Lawyer?

As soon as possible. The sooner The Law Firm of Joseph H. Low IV is able to research and investigate your accident, the greater our chances of maximizing your potential compensation.

California has a statute of limitations: a deadline put on every potential lawsuit in the state. Should you fail to meet the deadline for a personal injury lawsuit, you could lose all rights to compensation. Give us a call at (562) 901-0840 to schedule your free consultation with our Long Beach personal injury team today.

Additional Information

"Joseph, Thank you for your assistance. Your understanding compassion & incredible expertise are admired & appreciated. I will be referring any of my clients who require legal help to you."
- M.D.