Catastrophic Injury matters in San Diego
When a crash on the I-5 near Mission Valley, a fall at a Gaslamp Quarter construction site, or a motorcycle wreck on the SR-163 leaves someone with a traumatic brain injury or a severed spinal cord, the medical fight begins immediately — often at the Level I trauma centers at Scripps Mercy Hospital or UC San Diego Health in Hillcrest. With one of the nation's largest military and veteran populations, San Diego families also navigate the overlap between Naval Medical Center care, VA benefits, and a civilian injury claim, which can complicate who pays for what.
MMG Law Firm represents the catastrophically injured across the city — from downtown and North Park to Chula Vista, El Cajon, and the coastal communities — and throughout the San Diego County Superior Court system.
Why catastrophic cases are different
A fender-bender is settled in months. A catastrophic injury is measured in decades. These cases turn on proving what the next 40 years will actually cost:
- Traumatic brain injury (TBI): lost executive function, personality change, lifelong supervision needs
- Spinal-cord injury and paralysis: wheelchair accessibility, home modification, attendant care
- Severe burns: repeated reconstructive surgery, skin grafts, scar revision
- Amputations: prosthetics that must be replaced every few years for life
- Polytrauma and multiple fractures: hardware, revision surgeries, chronic pain management
The role of a life-care plan
Insurers in catastrophic cases push for a fast, low settlement before the injured person reaches maximum medical improvement — because the moment you sign, the claim is closed forever. We build the case around a life-care plan: a documented projection, prepared with physicians, rehabilitation specialists, vocational experts, and economists, of every future surgery, therapy, medication, mobility device, and lost earning year. Without that proof, the carrier dictates the number. With it, the true cost is on the table.
What to do after a catastrophic injury in San Diego
- Get and keep complete trauma-center and follow-up records
- Do not give a recorded statement to the insurer or accept an early offer
- Photograph the scene and vehicles, and identify witnesses
- Watch the deadlines (see below)
- Call us for a free consultation before you sign anything
Deadlines that can end your case
California's personal-injury statute of limitations is generally two years from the date of injury under Code of Civil Procedure §335.1. If a government entity is involved — a San Diego city vehicle, a county road defect, an MTS bus, or a public hospital — you must file a government claim within six months under Government Code §911.2 before you can sue. These deadlines are unforgiving, and catastrophic cases often involve multiple potentially responsible parties. The sooner we investigate, the more evidence we can preserve.
We assist clients in English, Armenian, and Russian. There is never a fee unless we recover for you.
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.