Catastrophic Injury matters in Pasadena
Pasadena blends the historic and the high-tech: tree-lined Craftsman neighborhoods and the Old Pasadena district sit alongside the 210 and 134 freeways, the institutions of Caltech and Huntington Hospital, and the steady traffic that floods Colorado Boulevard around the Rose Bowl and the Rose Parade. A catastrophic crash on the 210, a cyclist or pedestrian struck along Colorado or Lake Avenue, or a serious fall can send a victim to Huntington Hospital, a trusted regional center, or to a Level I trauma center in Los Angeles for the most severe injuries. MMG Law Firm represents people in the San Gabriel Valley whose lives are upended in these moments and helps them pursue the full, long-term value of their claims.
How catastrophic cases differ from ordinary claims
A catastrophic injury, traumatic brain injury, spinal-cord injury and paralysis, severe burns, traumatic amputation, or polytrauma with multiple fractures, often means permanent disability and a lifetime of expense. Because the financial exposure is so high, insurers treat these claims very differently, assigning seasoned adjusters and defense counsel and disputing both fault and the severity of the harm. That is exactly why thorough preparation and credible experts are essential.
Why a life-care plan drives the case
The heart of a serious-injury claim is the life-care plan. A life-care planner, working with treating physicians, maps the lifetime cost of surgery, rehabilitation, medication, durable medical equipment, and attendant care. We add vocational experts to quantify lost earning capacity and economists to value future costs in present dollars. This evidence is what stands between a fair recovery and a settlement that runs out long before the care does.
Catastrophic injuries we handle in Pasadena
- Traumatic brain injury, including injuries that worsen in the days after a crash
- Spinal-cord injury, paraplegia, and quadriplegia
- Severe burns and permanent disfigurement
- Traumatic amputations and crush injuries
- Multiple fractures and serious internal injuries
What to do after a serious accident
Seek complete medical care and keep every appointment, since treatment gaps are used to minimize claims. Preserve photos, records, and witness information. Do not give the other insurer a recorded statement before getting advice, and do not accept an early settlement before you reach maximum medical improvement and know your true long-term condition.
Deadlines and the local court
California generally requires personal-injury lawsuits to be filed within two years under Code of Civil Procedure section 335.1. When a public entity is responsible, such as a City of Pasadena vehicle or a dangerous public roadway, a written claim is usually due within six months under Government Code section 911.2. Pasadena cases are filed in the Los Angeles Superior Court, with many matters handled at the nearby Pasadena Courthouse on Walnut Street. Because evidence fades quickly, early involvement of counsel helps protect your claim. MMG Law Firm offers free consultations in English, Armenian, and Russian, and charges no fee unless we win.
Our attorney
How Mihran M. Ghazaryan helps with catastrophic injury
A catastrophic injury is measured over a lifetime, and Mihran M. Ghazaryan builds it that way. He assembles the life-care plan and the medical and economic experts who can prove the true future cost, refuses the quick lowball offer insurers use to close out large exposure early, and prepares the case for the long horizon it requires — so the recovery reflects the care you'll actually need.
Types of catastrophic injuries we handle
Traumatic brain injury (TBI)
From concussion with lasting cognitive effects to severe TBI. We pair imaging and neuropsychological testing with day-in-the-life evidence so the invisible effects are made concrete.
Spinal-cord injury and paralysis
Paraplegia and quadriplegia carry lifelong attendant-care and accessibility costs. A life-care plan quantifies them so the demand reflects the real future.
Amputation, severe burns, and disfigurement
Permanent loss and scarring support significant non-economic damages alongside future surgical and prosthetic costs.
Multiple fractures and polytrauma
Injuries needing several surgeries, hardware, and extended rehabilitation, where future-treatment proof drives the value.
Damages
What compensation can cover
Every catastrophic injury claim is different, but California law allows injured plaintiffs to seek several categories of damages. We build each one with documentation — medical records, wage statements, expert opinions — so nothing is left on the table.
Medical expenses
Emergency care, hospitalization, surgery, rehabilitation, and the future treatment your providers say you'll need.
Lost wages
Income you lost while recovering — and, where the injury affects your ability to work, diminished future earning capacity.
Pain and suffering
Compensation for physical pain, emotional distress, and the ways the injury has changed how you live day to day.
Property damage
Repair or replacement of your vehicle and other property damaged in the incident.
Out-of-pocket costs
Transportation to appointments, medical equipment, household help, and the other expenses an injury forces on you.
How we work
- 1
Free, no-pressure consultation
We listen first. We answer your questions. There is no fee for the initial conversation — and you decide whether to engage us at the end of it.
- 2
Investigation and evidence preservation
Police reports, scene photos, witness statements, vehicle data, surveillance video, medical records. The earlier we collect, the harder it is for the other side to reshape the story later.
- 3
Treatment, demand, and negotiation
We coordinate with your providers, document the full extent of damages — medical, lost income, pain — and present a demand backed by evidence. We push back firmly when an insurer lowballs.
- 4
Litigation when necessary
Most matters settle. When an insurer refuses to be reasonable, we file. Preparing every case as if it will be tried is what makes the settlement number move.
What to do right away
- Follow every treatment recommendation and keep all specialist appointments — gaps in care get used against you.
- Keep a journal of pain, limitations, and how daily life has changed.
- Preserve everything: medical records, bills, the device or vehicle involved, and the scene if possible.
- Designate one family member to track providers and expenses while you focus on recovery.
- Do not accept an early settlement before the full extent of future care is known.
- Do not give a recorded statement to the insurer before speaking with a lawyer.
The information on this website is for general information purposes only. Nothing on this site should be taken as legal advice for any individual case or situation. This information is not intended to create, and receipt or viewing does not constitute, an attorney-client relationship.
Deadlines that matter
Most California personal-injury claims must be filed within two years of the injury (Code of Civil Procedure §335.1). Miss the window and the court will almost always dismiss the case, no matter how strong it is.
Claims against government entities are much shorter — generally a written claim within six months (Government Code §911.2). Crashes involving city vehicles, public buses, or dangerous public-road conditions can fall under this rule.
Exceptions exist in both directions — discovery rules, minors, continuing violations, out-of-state defendants — so don't assume your deadline has passed or that you have time to spare. Call (818) 539-7969 and we'll tell you exactly where you stand.