What Constitutes a Catastrophic Injury?

Although the definition of “catastrophic injury” can vary, the term is generally accepted to classify a category of injuries that severely debilitate a victim’s ability to perform as they did pre-injury. A catastrophic injury may disrupt a victim’s ability to work, engage in leisure activities, or complete other tasks.

In addition to physical injuries, catastrophic injuries can be mental as well. A catastrophic injury can directly affect cognitive ability and emotional wellbeing (such as a brain injury), but a victim may suffer from mental health issues that arise from a purely physical injury.

The defining characteristic that qualifies an injury as catastrophic is the injury’s effects on a victim’s overall way of life, for an extended period of time. Catastrophic injuries often require surgery and long-term treatment plans that may include rehabilitation, therapy, and medication. A catastrophic injury victim may be permanently disabled or scarred, and could need assistance, medication, or a medical device for the rest of their life to manage their injury.

Types of Catastrophic Injuries

In addition to the permanent disability component, the umbrella term of “catastrophic injury” is considered to be a classification for severe brain and spine injuries. Clearly, brain and spine injuries can have a devastating impact on a person’s life, and other types of injuries that have the same level of consequence can be defined as catastrophic.

Common types of catastrophic injuries include:

• Traumatic brain injuries (TBI)
• Injuries to the spinal cord
• Limb loss
• Burns
• Organ failure

What Causes Catastrophic Injuries?

A catastrophic injury can be caused by a number of events, as well as exposure to toxic substances.

A catastrophic injury may result from:

• Car, truck, bike, and motorcycle accidents
• Work accidents
• Drowning
• Violence
• Dangerous drugs
• Defective products
• Slip & fall accidents
• Pedestrian accidents

A catastrophic injury can result in a victim incurring high medical expenses, as well as lost wages. At Goodman Acker P.C., our team of attorneys can help you recover compensation to recover the costs associated with a catastrophic injury. We are committed to helping injury victims get the care they need.

Contact us online or call (248) 793-2010 to schedule a free consultation. Our phone lines are open 24/7!