Catastrophic Injury 

A catastrophic injury is one that happens suddenly, without warning, and leaves its victims with long-term injuries that permanently prevent them from performing gainful work. Catastrophic injuries usually occur in the form of physical harm to the brain or spinal cord, which has severe long-term effects on an individual’s ability to function. However, there are many other common catastrophic injuries. As long as the injury results in a permanent and debilitating injury or deformity, it is typically considered a catastrophic injury.

Common Types of Catastrophic Injury 

Neck & Spinal Cord The most common types of catastrophic injuries are neck and spinal cord injuries. These typically occur from falls, car accidents, or trampoline accidents. Neck and spinal cord injuries are often debilitating and can result in paraplegia or quadriplegia. Victims of these injuries often require lifelong medical care and rehabilitation and also suffer severe emotional trauma from their injuries, such as posttraumatic stress disorder, anxiety, and depression.

Burns Another common type of catastrophic injury is a burn injury. Severe burn injuries nearly always leave victims permanently disfigured and scarred. They also leave their victims with chronic pain and nerve damage. These injuries also require several months or years and multiple surgeries to fully heal. Victims will likely also need skin grafts, plastic surgery, and rehabilitation.

Internal Catastrophic injury also often occurs in the form of internal injuries, particularly from a car accident or other vehicular accident. These types of accidents can result in severe damage to the internal organs and even internal bleeding. Treatment for internal injuries requires months of hospital visits, prolonged hospital stays, and multiple surgeries. Internal injuries might also result in permanent disability. 

Other common forms of catastrophic injury include: 

• Skull fractures 
• Amputations 
• Multiple bone fractures 
• Chronic illness 
• Birth injuries

Common Causes of Catastrophic Injuries 

Some of the most common causes of catastrophic injuries include but are not limited to: 

• Car accidents 
• Falls from high surfaces 
• Sports injuries
• Defective medical devices
• Construction accidents 
• Fires and explosions 
• Intentional acts of violence

Catastrophic Injury Lawsuits 

Victims of catastrophic injuries may file a lawsuit to receive compensation for their injuries and many victims rely on a good personal injury lawyer. Victims are often entitled to receive compensation for their medical expenses, including surgery, rehabilitation, medications, and medical devices. 

Many people who are catastrophically injured, such as many brain and spinal cord injury victims, will usually need long-term care, medication, and the assistance of medical devices. Victims of catastrophic injuries are often entitled to receive compensation for any lost wages they incurred, including potential future earnings if their injury will forever prevent them from doing the same job as the kind they had prior to their injury. 

Catastrophic injury victims may be entitled to receive compensation for emotional damage they suffered as a result of their injury. When they prevail, the plaintiff’s damages in a catastrophic injury lawsuit are often substantial. If a plaintiff is found to be partially at fault for causing the accident, the plaintiff’s damages will be reduced by any percentage they were partially or comparatively at fault for.

When choosing an attorney to represent you in a catastrophic injury lawsuit, it is important to look for one with significant trial experience. Even if the case doesn’t go to trial, an attorney with extensive trial experience will have more leverage when negotiating with the defense attorney in the case.