New York Serious Injury Lawyers Proudly Serving the Bronx
A catastrophic injury can change your life in a heartbeat. One moment you’re going about your daily routine, commuting through Mott Haven, picking up groceries in Fordham, or heading to work near Riverdale, and the next, everything is different. Whether you’ve suffered a traumatic brain injury in a vehicle crash or lost mobility due to a construction accident, these events can leave you struggling not just physically, but emotionally and financially as well.
At Maggiano, DiGirolamo & Lizzi, P.C., we understand that no amount of money can undo the pain and disruption caused by a catastrophic injury. But we also believe justice can provide the stability and support you need to recover. You deserve compensation for your suffering, and you shouldn’t have to handle this on your own. Let our experienced Bronx catastrophic injury lawyer be your advocate during this difficult time.
If you or a loved one has sustained a life-altering injury due to someone else’s negligence, contact our team today for a free consultation. We’re here to help you get the justice you deserve.
Key Takeaways
📄 Scope and Legal Standards
- Catastrophic injuries in the Bronx include life-altering harm such as severe brain or spinal cord trauma, traumatic amputations, complex fractures, extensive burns, and disfigurement
- These cases rely on demonstrating the basics: duty, breach, causation, and substantial, often lifelong damages
- New York’s framework supports claims for permanent disability, life-care needs, and significant non-economic losses
🔗 Cases We’re Currently Accepting
- Victims with injuries like:
- Traumatic brain injuries (TBI), skull fractures, or hematomas
- Spinal cord injuries, paralysis, or severe nerve damage
- Amputations, limb loss, or chronic pain conditions
- Severe burns, organ trauma, or disfiguring facial and eye injuries
- Life-long conditions involving post-concussion syndrome, memory loss, or impaired motor function
- Also includes wrongful death cases tied to catastrophic trauma
📅 Recent Legal Trends & Developments
- Courts in the Bronx increasingly rely on neuropsychological testing, brain imaging, and life-care plans to assess future medical needs
- Rising verdicts and settlements reflect growing recognition of long-term care costs and quality-of-life declines in TBI and paralysis cases
- Expert testimony—neurosurgeons, rehab specialists, and life-care planners—is now essential for proving serious, lasting effects
⚖️ The Parties’ Litigation Positions
- Plaintiffs: Argue that negligence caused permanent disability, with evidence of ongoing care, cognitive impairment, and reduced life function
- Defendants: Often dispute the severity and permanency of the injury, challenge causation, and point to pre-existing conditions or alternative causes
💰 Settlement Potentials
- Mild TBI or concussion: Typically settle in the range of $50,000–$150,000
- Moderate brain injury or single-amputation cases: Often reach $200,000–$500,000+
- Severe injuries (paralysis, multi-limb loss, lifelong dependency): Commonly yield $1M–$3M+, depending on future care needs
- Wrongful death due to catastrophic harm often results in $1M+ awards, based on dependents and economic loss
⚠️ Major Concerns / Expectations
- Immediate action is crucial—medical and imaging documentation must begin quickly to support severity claims
- Expert evaluations (neuropsychological and life-care planning) are vital for proving long-term loss and planning future needs
- Comparative negligence is typically low in catastrophic cases but must be addressed
- Three-year statute of limitations for personal injury and potential shorter periods for medical malpractice require prompt legal attention
Why Choose Us for Your Bronx Catastrophic Injury Claim
When you’re facing the most challenging chapter of your life, you need more than just legal representation; you need a legal team that genuinely cares. At Maggiano, DiGirolamo & Lizzi, P.C., we bring over 100 years of combined legal experience and a reputation for securing multi-million dollar settlements and verdicts in catastrophic injury cases.
Here’s why Bronx clients trust us:
- We Understand Catastrophic Injury Law Inside and Out: These are complex cases involving long-term damages, extensive medical care, and aggressive opposition from insurance companies. We know how to build compelling cases that win.
- Award-Winning Trial Attorneys: Our lawyers have been repeatedly recognized by Martindale Hubbell and Best Lawyers in America for our legal excellence and ethics.
- You Don’t Pay Unless We Win: We work on a contingency fee basis—no hourly billing, no upfront costs.
- Personalized Legal Strategy: Every client’s story is different. We take the time to understand your life, your losses, and your goals to craft a tailored legal strategy.
- Local Representation: We are not just lawyers. We are advocates familiar with the unique needs of Bronx residents, from culturally diverse communities in Fordham to working-class families in Pelham Bay.
When you work with us, you’re getting more than a lawyer; you’re getting a team of dedicated professionals ready to fight for your future.
Common Causes of Catastrophic Injuries
Catastrophic injuries refer to injuries that result in permanent disability, long-term medical issues, or a significant impact on one’s quality of life. These injuries often require extensive rehabilitation and lifelong medical care and can prevent a person from returning to work or maintaining independence.
Common causes of catastrophic injuries in the Bronx include:
- Motor vehicle accidents, including car, truck, motorcycle, and pedestrian crashes
- Construction site accidents, such as falls, machinery malfunctions, or being struck by falling objects
- Slip and fall incidents on poorly maintained property
- Workplace accidents, especially in industrial or labor-intensive jobs
- Defective products or machinery
- Medical malpractice, such as surgical errors or failure to diagnose a serious condition
- Violent assaults or attacks
- Public transportation accidents, including buses and subways
These events can lead to severe injuries that require aggressive legal action to secure the compensation you need to rebuild your life.
View Our Verdicts & Settlements
Types of Catastrophic Injuries
Not all injuries are equal. Catastrophic injuries are those that permanently change a person’s life, often affecting their ability to work, communicate, or care for themselves.
Some of the most common types of catastrophic injuries we handle include:
- Traumatic brain injuries (TBI)
- Spinal cord injuries, including paralysis (paraplegia or quadriplegia)
- Severe burns and disfigurement
- Multiple fractures or crush injuries
- Amputations and loss of limbs
- Internal organ damage
- Severe orthopedic injuries
- Loss of vision or hearing
These types of injuries often require ongoing medical care, adaptive equipment, in-home modifications, and professional support. Our attorneys work tirelessly to ensure your legal claim reflects the full scope of these life-altering consequences.

How Our Lawyers Prove Negligence in an Accident Resulting in Catastrophic Injuries
Most catastrophic injury cases are based on negligence, a legal concept that holds people and entities accountable when their carelessness causes harm to others. To build a strong case, our attorneys must establish four key elements of negligence:
- Duty of Care: The responsible party owed you a duty to act with reasonable care. For example, a driver must follow traffic laws and avoid reckless behavior.
- Breach of Duty: The party failed in that duty by acting negligently or recklessly. Examples include distracted driving, ignoring safety codes, or failing to maintain safe premises.
- Causation: The breach of duty directly caused your injury. We must show that the accident would not have occurred without the negligent actions.
- Damages: You suffered measurable losses, such as medical expenses, lost wages, and pain and suffering, as a result of the injury.
Our legal team will gather the evidence needed to support each element, including accident reports, witness statements, medical records, expert testimony, and more. We work with seasoned accident reconstructionists, economists, and medical professionals to present a thorough and persuasive case.
Verdicts and Settlements
$2,800,000 - Trucking Accident
A man who suffered serious knee injuries when a truck pulled out in front of him
$650,000 - Inadequate Building Security
To a young single woman who was abducted and raped in a dimly lit, insecure hotel parking lot in 1994 and suffered severe and disabling post traumatic stress disorder.
$500,000 - Medical Malpractice
To young man who while unconscious following pilonidal cyst surgery was caused to fall from operating table while unconscious, suffering tears of his labrum resulting in termination of his high school sports.
What if I’m Partly to Blame for My Injuries?
Accidents are rarely black and white. In some cases, the injured party may share partial responsibility. Fortunately, New York follows a comparative negligence rule, which allows you to recover compensation even if you were partly at fault.
Under this rule, your compensation will be reduced by your percentage of fault. For example, if you were awarded $1 million in damages but found to be 20% at fault, your recovery would be reduced to $800,000.
Our catastrophic injury lawyers work hard to minimize your share of the blame and highlight the negligence of the opposing party. Our goal is always to maximize your recovery and protect your future.
Should I Accept the First Offer from the Insurance Company?
After a serious, catastrophic injury, it’s tempting to accept a quick settlement. You may be facing growing medical bills, lost income, and uncertainty about your future. But accepting the first offer from the insurance company is often a costly mistake.
Insurance companies are businesses, and their goal is to minimize payouts. Tactics they often use include:
- Offering a low settlement quickly before you understand the full extent of your injuries
- Pressuring you to sign a release of liability
- Using your statements against you to reduce the value of your claim
- Disputing the severity of your injuries or long-term prognosis
Catastrophic injuries often require ongoing medical treatment, rehabilitation, and sometimes lifetime care. You may not yet know the total cost of your injury, and if you settle too early, you may be left without sufficient resources to cover future expenses.
Always consult an experienced lawyer before accepting any settlement. We will evaluate your case and handle all communication with the insurance company to ensure your rights are protected.
Compensation Available in a Catastrophic Injury Lawsuit
If you’ve suffered a catastrophic injury, your life may be permanently affected. You may be unable to return to work, require daily medical assistance, or need lifelong rehabilitation. The financial, emotional, and physical toll can be staggering, but the law provides a path for recovery.
At Maggiano, DiGirolamo & Lizzi, P.C., our goal is to pursue full and fair compensation for every loss you’ve suffered. Depending on the details of your case, you may be entitled to recover damages for:
- Medical expenses – including surgeries, hospitalizations, rehab, and long-term care
- Future medical treatment – projected costs for continued care or therapies
- Lost income – for time missed from work during your recovery
- Loss of earning capacity – if you can no longer work in your field or at all
- Pain and suffering – for the physical pain and emotional distress caused by the injury
- Loss of enjoyment of life – if you can no longer engage in activities or hobbies you once loved
- Disfigurement or scarring – compensation for visible or permanent changes to your body
- Home or vehicle modifications – including wheelchair ramps, lifts, or adaptive technology
- Wrongful death damages – if a loved one lost their life due to catastrophic injuries, surviving family members may pursue compensation for:
- Funeral and burial expenses
- Loss of financial support
- Loss of companionship
Our attorneys will work closely with economists, medical professionals, and life-care planners to assess the full value of your claim and demand compensation that reflects the reality of your long-term needs.
Choosing Michael Maggiano and his firm was the best decision my husband and I made at a most horrific time in our lives. Multiple doctors, with whom we had trusting relationships, were confidently telling me that nothing was wrong when, in fact, that was not the case; allowing a cancer to grow over several years to an advanced stage.
Michael Maggiano and his incredible colleagues took our case, even though extremely complex. They patiently answered our endless questions, diligently pursued every aspect of our case, handled our anxieties; especially during trial preparation and settlement discussions. Due to their experience and skill, the final outcome was a sizable settlement.
We hope that this message helps you make the right decision during what is probably a difficult and trying time by speaking with Mike Maggiano.
I’d like to take this opportunity to thank you and your staff for a very satisfying outcome to my recently settled case. I thank you for taking the case and the work you did on it. I really felt like I was in “good hands” with your firm. Everyone was professional and very capable.
I was very pleased to work with Mike Maggiano. He was personable, always on top of things, and made me feel this case was important to him, too. He represented me well, especially at the mediation. I appreciated everything you have done for me and my family during this difficult process. Again, thank you for everything.
Michael Maggiano is one of the hardest working, ethical attorneys that you can have represent you. When I was going through my injury, emotional pain and suffering, the last thing I wanted to think about was who would be the right lawyer who is caring and understanding of my situation. Well Michael was there every step of the way. Through his guidance, support and legal advice, somehow he got me through this ordeal. If I have to rate Michael between 0 to 10, he is definitely a 12! Believe it or not, if you call Michael on his telephone, he will call you back the same day or night to try to help you with your concerns and questions. Why? BECAUSE HE CARES
What Is the Statute of Limitations for Filing a Personal Injury Claim in Bronx, NY?
In New York, the statute of limitations for filing a personal injury lawsuit is generally three years from the date of the accident. However, several factors can affect this timeline:
- If your injury involved a municipal entity (such as a city bus or public hospital), you may need to file a Notice of Claim within 90 days of the incident.
- For medical malpractice cases, the time limit is typically 2.5 years from the date of the negligent act or discovery of the harm.
- In a wrongful death case, the statute of limitations is 2 years from the date of death.
Failing to meet these deadlines can result in losing your right to pursue compensation. That’s why it’s critical to consult an experienced catastrophic injury lawyer in Bronx as soon as possible. We’ll ensure your claim is filed correctly and on time.
How Our Lawyers Can Help with Your Catastrophic Injury Claim
When you’re dealing with the consequences of a catastrophic injury, legal action may feel like more than you can handle. At Maggiano, DiGirolamo & Lizzi, P.C., we are here to ease your burden and stand by your side every step of the way.
Here’s how we help:
- We listen to your story. We begin by learning who you are, how the injury has affected your life, and what justice looks like for you.
- We investigate the cause. Our team conducts thorough investigations to gather crucial evidence, speak with witnesses, and work with top experts to establish liability.
- We calculate your damages. We consider current expenses and future needs, ensuring that every dollar of your loss is accounted for.
- We deal with the insurance companies. You’ll never have to argue with adjusters—we’ll handle all negotiations and communications.
- We go to trial if needed. If a fair settlement isn’t offered, we are ready to take your case to court. Our trial lawyers are known and respected in courtrooms throughout New York and New Jersey.
Above all, we treat every case and every client as unique. We know you’re not just another number. You’re someone who deserves to be heard, respected, and fiercely represented.
Contact Our Bronx Catastrophic Accident Lawyers Today
Your road to recovery begins with a conversation.
At Maggiano, DiGirolamo & Lizzi, P.C., we know the devastation that catastrophic injuries can bring. We also know how to fight for the justice and compensation you need to move forward. With decades of experience, a compassionate approach, and a track record of success, our team is ready to stand up for you and your family.
Contact us today at (212) 543-1600 or through our online form for a free, no-obligation consultation. We are proud to serve injured individuals and families throughout the Bronx and across New York City.for court and arguing for the maximum award at trial.