Injuries can be devastating and life-changing, but not all injuries are considered catastrophic. Catastrophic injuries are defined as injuries that severely impact a person’s life and result in long-term or permanent disability. These injuries often require significant medical treatment and ongoing care, and may result in a substantial loss of income and reduced quality of life.
Understanding what makes an injury catastrophic and how it affects your claim can be essential for anyone who has suffered a serious injury. Contacting a personal injury lawyer is crucial if your injury was caused by another person’s reckless or careless acts.
What Makes an Injury Catastrophic?
There is no definitive list of catastrophic injuries, as they can vary depending on the individual and the circumstances of the damage. However, some common types of catastrophic injuries include:
- Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI): A TBI occurs when a person suffers a blow or jolt to the head that disrupts normal brain function. TBIs can range from mild to severe, resulting in significant cognitive, emotional, and physical impairment.
- Spinal Cord Injury: A spinal cord injury occurs when the spinal cord is damaged or severed, resulting in loss of sensation and movement below the injury site. Spinal cord injuries can be complete or incomplete, and the severity of the injury will determine the level of disability.
- Amputations: An amputation is the removal of a limb or extremity. This can be a traumatic injury or a result of a medical condition. Amputations can significantly impact a person’s mobility, independence, and quality of life.
- Burns: Burns can be caused by heat, chemicals, or electricity and can result in scarring, disfigurement, and nerve damage. Severe burns may require extensive medical treatment and result in long-term disability.
- Multiple Fractures: Multiple fractures can occur due to a high-impact accident, such as a car crash or fall from height. Multiple fractures can result in significant pain, loss of mobility, and long-term disability.
From the above types of injuries, we can deduce a few of the factors that make an injury catastrophic:
- The severity of the injury
- The cost of treatment and ongoing care
- The long-term impact on the victim’s life, like disability or chronic pain
- The effect on the victim’s earning capacity
- The emotional and mental health impacts on the victim and their loved ones
If you suffered a catastrophic injury in an auto accident or any other type of personal injury accident, our injury attorney might help you recover compensation for your injuries.
How Does a Catastrophic Injury Affect Your Claim?
If you have suffered a catastrophic injury due to someone else’s negligence or wrongdoing, you may be entitled to compensation through a personal injury claim. However, the process of making a claim for a catastrophic injury can be complex and challenging. The following are some of the ways that a catastrophic injury can affect your claim:
- Increased Damages: Catastrophic injuries typically require extensive medical treatment and ongoing care, which can be costly. As a result, the damages awarded in a catastrophic injury claim are typically much higher than those granted in a non-catastrophic injury claim.
- Longer Claim Process: Catastrophic injury claims often take longer to settle than non-catastrophic injury claims. This is because the full extent of the injury may not be known immediately, and it may take time to determine the appropriate level of compensation.
- Need for Expert Testimony: Catastrophic injury claims often require expert testimony from medical professionals, vocational experts, and economists to establish the full extent of the injury and the impact it will have on the injured person’s life.
- Complex Legal Issues: Catastrophic injury claims can involve complex legal issues, such as determining the extent of liability and apportioning damages among multiple defendants.
- Need for Ongoing Care: Catastrophic injuries often require ongoing care, which can be challenging to quantify in terms of damages. The injured person may require home health aides, physical therapy, and other assistance for the rest of their life, which can be expensive.
When making a claim for a catastrophic injury, it is crucial to consider the injury’s long-term impact. Our skilled California catastrophic injury attorneys will work with you and other parties to ensure you receive the compensation you need to cover the costs of medical treatment, ongoing care, lost income, and other expenses associated with your injury.
Contact an Experienced California Personal Injury Lawyer
If you have suffered a catastrophic injury due to someone else’s negligence or wrongdoing, you may be entitled to compensation through a personal injury claim. However, the process of making a claim for a catastrophic injury can be complex and challenging, and it is essential to have the support of an experienced personal injury attorney who can guide you through the process.
If you or a loved one have suffered a catastrophic injury due to someone else’s negligence, don’t hesitate to contact Setareh Law. Our team of experienced personal injury lawyers is ready to put their years of experience to work for you. Contact us today to schedule a free consultation to discuss your options and begin the process of making a claim. Call us at (310) 659-1826 or complete our contact form online. We take pride in being there for you in your time of need. Our team also speaks Spanish.