A catastrophic injury is any severe injury that an individual can sustain involving the head, brain, back or spinal cord. It may also mean skull fractures, loss of limbs, or severe injuries caused by burning.
These kinds of injuries can cause an individual to be physically impaired or disfigured for a long time. They can also occur anywhere on the body, depending on the nature of the accident that caused them.
Types Of Catastrophic Injury
An injury lawyer will help you get the compensation you need if you have suffered a catastrophic injury due to the negligence of another party. Here is a breakdown of the most common types of catastrophic injury for a better understanding of what injury lawyers cover.
1. Loss Of Limbs
An injury that leaves an individual with fewer appendages is considered a grievous injury. It is because from the moment a person sustains such an injury, they will get physically impaired for the rest of their lives compared to their otherwise healthy peers.
2. Internal Organ Damage
Another severe type of injury a person may experience concerns their internal organs. This can occur in many ways, ranging from ingesting toxins and chemicals to freak accidents, such as physical trauma to the liver during a boxing match.
The result is the same, however, causing great pain, the need for medical intervention such as surgery or stomach pumping, and even death in the most serious cases.
3. Serious Brain Injuries
If your brain experiences trauma, such as getting slammed with great force, it may swell or begin to bleed. It can cause severe shock, leaving you with sometimes permanent defects or even causing death.
Individuals who have sustained trauma to their brains often experience problems they will have to live with for the rest of their lives. They can range from paralysis, memory loss, and personality changes to loss of motor function and complex thinking.
Physical therapy and mental rehabilitation can help patients manage these effects, but they will often have to accept that they will not be as functional as they once might have been.
4. Spinal Cord Injury
Injuries that affect the spinal cord can be just as severe as those affecting the brain. Because the spinal cord transmits signals between your limbs and brain, an injury to it may result in permanent paralysis or death.
People suffering from spinal cord injuries are very lucky to fully recover and usually need many years of physical rehabilitation to regain the use of the paralyzed area. Because spinal cord injuries affect large muscle groups, they are the most common cause of paraplegia and quadriplegia.
5. Fire-Related Injuries
Injuries caused by fire and exposure to explosive materials are also frequently catastrophic.
Their numerous effects include scarring and nerve damage to death by asphyxiation. These types of injuries are also more common, as they can be sustained during physical altercations such as war or in a domestic setting where a fire started intentionally is left unattended.
The recovery process is also very difficult, as patients may require reconstructive surgery, organ transplants, or extensive skin grafting to fully recover.
Talk To An Injury Lawyer Today
If you or a close one has experienced any of these injuries, the first step should be to ensure you get the medical attention you need to recover fully.
Once in a stable condition, the next step should be to talk to a lawyer to help you establish liability and help you get started on your compensation process. Having the right professional take care of the legalities will give you the peace of mind you need to recover.
Talk to an injury lawyer today to help you get the justice you deserve.