San Mateo Catastrophic Injury Lawyer
When an Injury Changes Everything, Your Claim Has to Cover Everything.
Ongoing care, therapy, assistive devices, and months away from work: a catastrophic injury brings costs most people never plan for. Our San Mateo catastrophic injury attorneys hold the at-fault party accountable for all of them.
$75+ million
recovered for injured clients
800+ five-star reviews
on Google and Yelp
No fee
unless we win
Available 24/7
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You Don't Have to Face the Legal System Alone
A catastrophic injury is one that causes permanent or long-term physical impairment. Traumatic brain injuries, spinal cord damage, paralysis, and severe burns are among the most common. Some happen in true accidents. Many others trace back to someone’s careless, reckless, or willful conduct, and when they do, you have legal options.
Auto collisions are among the most common causes: car, motorcycle, truck, bicycle, and pedestrian crashes can all leave survivors with injuries that last a lifetime. The physical and psychological toll is heavy, and the financial weight of ongoing care can be just as hard to carry.
You may have a catastrophic injury claim if:
Someone else's negligence caused your injury, in whole or in part
Your injury has caused long-term or permanent impairment
You need ongoing care, therapy, or assistive devices, or can't return to work
The injury happened within roughly the last two years
Finding your way back to health, or to a new normal, can be long and hard. We take the legal side off your plate. The consultation is free, and you pay nothing unless we win.
Steps to Take After a Catastrophic Injury
Focus on treatment, and ask for your records.
Keep discharge summaries, treatment plans, and referrals; they become the foundation of your claim.
Have someone document the scene and your injuries.
If you can’t, ask a family member or friend to photograph the scene, the vehicles, and your injuries over time.
Make sure there's an official report.
A police report after a crash, or a written incident report elsewhere, records what happened while memories are fresh.
Track the costs from day one.
Medical bills, therapy, equipment, travel to appointments, and every day of missed work.
Put a lawyer between you and the insurer.
Don’t sign releases or give recorded statements; early offers come before anyone knows what lifetime care will cost.
Act before the deadline shrinks.
Most claims must be filed within two years, and some much sooner. A long hospital stay can use up that time quickly.
A Client-Centered Approach to Catastrophic Cases
You are more than a case number to us. When an injury is this serious, we put a group of experts on your case so that every piece of it is handled, from the evidence to the long-term cost of your care.
We prove who caused your injury. Police and incident reports, witness statements, medical records, and scene evidence establish that the other party failed to act with reasonable care and that this failure caused your injuries.
We measure the whole cost. Catastrophic claims can’t be valued on today’s bills. We document the ongoing care, therapy, assistive devices, and lost work your injuries will require, so the claim reflects the years ahead.
We stand between you and the insurer. From the day you hire us, the defendant and its insurance company deal with us, not you. We use proven negotiation strategies to pursue the best result, and we’re ready to go to court if a fair settlement isn’t offered.
Damages in a Catastrophic Injury Claim
Every case is different, and no honest attorney guarantees a number. A catastrophic injury claim should account for:
Healthcare costs
Hospital care, surgery, ongoing treatment, and future medical needs.
Therapy and assistive devices
Rehabilitation, therapy, mobility equipment, and other devices you need during recovery and beyond.
Lost income
The weeks, months, or longer you miss from work, and lost earning capacity if you can’t return to the same job.
Pain and suffering
The physical pain and psychological toll of a life-altering injury.
Who pays
The at-fault party’s insurer and any other responsible party. After a crash, if the at-fault driver’s policy isn’t enough, your own uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage may help close the gap.
California Law After a Catastrophic Injury
Two years for most claims
When someone suffers a catastrophic injury in an accident, they typically have two years from the date of the accident to start a lawsuit. Claims against a government entity can require notice within six months.
Medical negligence has its own deadline
When a catastrophic injury results from medical negligence, the deadline is generally three years from the injury or one year from when you discovered it, whichever comes first.
Fault still has to be proven
However severe the injury, the claim depends on showing the other party’s negligence caused it. Evidence, not the seriousness of the harm, decides liability.
Partial fault doesn't bar recovery
Under California’s pure comparative negligence rule, your compensation is reduced by your share of fault, never eliminated.
Protect the Value of Your Claim
Catastrophic claims are large, and insurers fight them hard. The strongest protection is a complete, consistent medical record: follow your care team’s instructions, keep every appointment, and don’t push your recovery faster than your doctors advise.
Three habits protect you and your family:
- Keep a recovery journal. Pain, setbacks, milestones, and the daily tasks you now need help with. A family member’s notes count too.
- Save every receipt. Prescriptions, equipment, home help, mileage to appointments, and changes to your home or vehicle.
- Let us be your buffer. Every call from the defendant or its insurer comes to us.
We coordinate with your medical providers so billing can wait until your case settles.
What Our Clients Say
Jimin Oh is not only an excellent and professional lawyer but she is also very kind, understanding and easy to talk to. Jimin was very helpful and patient in answering…
Katie J.
I was introduced to Jimin through a friend after we had a bumper accident on a highway. Jimin came to us directly and very clearly explained the whole process, as…
Joshua Kim
I would like to share a good experience that I had with Ms. Jimin’s office and hopefully it will help people save time, frustration, and stress. Jimin is just very…
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Your San Mateo Legal Team
Founding attorney Jimin Oh has handled thousands of auto accident cases and is a member of Million Dollar Trial Lawyers. After her own husband was seriously injured in a car accident, she built a firm around what families need when one injury changes everyone’s life: an attorney, a case manager, and a treatment coordinator on every case, keeping your care, your bills, and your claim on track. San Mateo clients are served from our San Jose office at 1253 Park Ave.
San Mateo Catastrophic Injury FAQs
What makes an injury catastrophic?
A catastrophic injury causes permanent or long-term physical impairment. Common examples are traumatic brain injuries, spinal cord damage, paralysis, and severe burns.
What usually causes catastrophic injuries?
Auto collisions are among the most common causes, including car, motorcycle, truck, bicycle, and pedestrian crashes. Any serious injury caused by someone’s careless, reckless, or willful conduct may support a claim.
How long do I have to file a claim?
Typically two years from the date of the accident. Claims against government entities can require notice within six months, and medical negligence claims have their own deadline. Certain exceptions can apply, so call early.
What if my injury was caused by medical negligence?
The deadline is generally three years from the injury or one year from when you discovered it, whichever comes first. Medical negligence claims have their own rules, so talk to a lawyer as soon as you suspect one.
What can I recover for a catastrophic injury?
Healthcare costs, ongoing care and therapy, assistive devices, lost income and earning capacity, and pain and suffering. We document future needs so the claim covers more than today’s bills.
Why hire a lawyer early?
It reduces the risk of missing a deadline, lets us preserve evidence while it still exists, and puts a legal buffer between you and the insurance company from the start.
How much does it cost to hire you?
Nothing upfront. We work on contingency and are paid only if we recover compensation for you.
Get Your Free, Confidential Case Review, 24/7
A long recovery shouldn’t come with a legal fight you face alone. Call now or send the form; we respond fast, 24/7, in English, Spanish, or Korean. Your consultation is free and confidential. No fee unless we win.
Call (408) 256-2871Free Case Review
Solution Now Law Firm
1253 Park Ave
San Jose, CA 95126
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