Types and Causes of Catastrophic Injuries

What Is Considered a Catastrophic Injury?

The easiest way to describe a catastrophic injury is to define it as one that is life-changing. This means that everything about your life will be different from that point forward. Catastrophic injuries may also require lifelong care, professional assistance, and a complete change in career and lifestyle.

What Are the Common Causes of Catastrophic Injuries?

A catastrophic injury can happen in any type of accident. However, there are some accidents that more commonly result in these types of serious, life-altering injuries. These events include:

1. Vehicular Accidents

The impact of any type of car accident can cause significant injuries to the people involved. However, multi-vehicle accidents or crashes at high speeds can be particularly damaging. Vehicular accidents include car accidents, truck accidents, and motorcycle accidents.

2. Work Accidents

Many work environments, such as construction sites, can be dangerous because of the type of duties performed or the equipment used. One of the most common causes of catastrophic injuries in the workplace is from falling. Others include chemical burns, hazardous conditions, and insufficient training of employees.

3. Medical Malpractice

Mistakes made by healthcare professionals during surgery, diagnosis, or other medical procedures can have catastrophic impacts on a patient’s life. When medical malpractice results in irreversible damage to an individual, victims or their families can bring a personal injury claim for compensation.

4. Pedestrian Accidents

When pedestrians are hit by a car on the road, the results can be devastating. Due to the weight of the vehicles and the speed at which they’re traveling, individuals who are struck by a car often suffer from severe injuries, including traumatic brain injuries, spinal cord injuries, serious burns, and disfigurement.

5. Violent Encounters

Criminal activity can often lead to the victim being seriously injured. Intentional acts of violence can change a person’s life in an instant and forever affect their ability to work, provide for their family, or simply enjoy the activities they once did.

What Are Types of Catastrophic Injuries?

There are many injuries that can be considered catastrophic, but there are four types of injuries that almost always have life-altering results for victims. These include:

1. Neck and Spinal Cord Injuries

Injuries to the spine and neck can lead to paralysis or a severely limited range of motion due to the pain and nerve damage. These types of injuries are often severe and irreversible.

2. Traumatic Brain Injury

Traumatic brain injury (TBI) can change a person’s ability to care for themselves, change their cognitive skills, or even impact their personality. Brain injuries of this severity often require lifelong care.

3. Severe Burns

Burns are a painful and traumatic type of injury that can be very difficult to heal. Burns are very susceptible to infection and may require skin grafting and other surgeries to bring relief to the injury victim. Most serious burn victims can not return to work, and their activities are limited because of the discomfort.

4. Birth Injuries

There are several things that can go wrong during delivery, including the misuse of medical equipment to deliver the baby. These mistakes can lead to injuries to the infant that result in the lifelong need for medical care.

What Factors Affect Compensation in a Catastrophic Injury Claim?

If you or a loved one has been injured in an accident due to another party’s negligence or reckless conduct, you have the right to seek compensation for your damages, including future losses. There are different forms of compensation that you are entitled to for your losses. This includes both economic and non-economic damages.

These damages, however, are more complex when you have a catastrophic injury. Your attorney must work with experts to determine your actual losses, both currently and in the future, based on your prognosis.

Some of the factors your attorney may have to consider include:

• Cost of your current medical care
• Cost of future medical care, including long-term care or needs
• Lost income and benefits
• Lost future earning potential and benefits
• Costs of changing your home or vehicle to accommodate your injuries
• Pain and suffering
• Mental anguish
• Loss of companionship
• Loss of services

Your attorney will have to work with experts in several fields to build a solid case for compensation that values all your damages. In order to get the maximum compensation for the extent of these severe injuries and suffering, consider working with an experienced catastrophic injury lawyer.

Can a Catastrophic Injury Attorney Help With Complex Claims?

Insurance companies fight hard to reduce compensation packages. Your attorney must be knowledgeable and a skilled litigator to secure a fair compensation package for all your losses.

Protect your rights as an injury victim and speak with a Las Vegas catastrophic injury attorney about your accident and injuries. They will be able to give you the relevant information about your claim, guide you on what steps to take, and manage the process from start to finish so that you can focus on your recovery. Contact our team today for a free consultation.