Understanding “Catastrophic Injuries” After A Car Accident
Mark A. Steinberg
Traffic Accidents
Car accidents are damaging and traumatizing. Most cars weigh upward of a ton, and even going slowly, the force of impact they create can be devastating. When a collision causes injuries, you will find that there are a lot of legal classifications for them. An important one to understand is “catastrophic injuries.” Legally, catastrophic injuries are extremely severe injuries that can dramatically impact your life. If you have experienced a catastrophic injury after a car accident, you need to work with a skilled auto accident attorney.
What Are Considered Catastrophic Injuries?
Though there is not a specific legal definition for catastrophic injuries, they can be defined in terms of impact. Catastrophic injuries are essentially injuries that are life-threatening, are permanent, or require intensive medical care. The best way to think about them is that they immediately and irrevocably change your life in a negative way. They are expensive to treat and cost hundreds of thousands over a lifetime in medical care.
What Are Some Examples Of Catastrophic Injuries?
Catastrophic injuries are not specific to any anatomy. Instead, they are measured by severity. Some common catastrophic injuries that occur as a result of a car accident include the following:
● Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI): TBIs are injuries to the brain and impact one’s mental processes. They can cause everything from emotional distress to memory loss to full mental impairment. A TBI is notoriously difficult to treat and can worsen with age.
● Spinal Cord Injury: The spinal cord is critical to a person’s ability to move. Injuries to it can lead to loss of mobility in the extremities and even full paralysis of the body. Like TBI, spinal cord injuries can get worse over time.
● Amputation: This is the removal of a body part that is beyond repair. Amputation can be emotionally challenging and seriously impact how we go about our daily lives.
● Organ Damage: Sometimes, accidents can cause severe damage to internal organs such as the lungs, heart, and intestines. Those injuries are difficult to treat, have a severely negative impact on our lives, and can lead to worse issues with age.
Other examples of catastrophic injuries are severe disfigurement as a result of lacerations or burns, extreme bone breaks or fractures, and exposure to toxins that may trigger chronic illnesses.
What Happens If I Have Catastrophic Injuries From A Car Accident?
If you have been in an accident and as a result are dealing with a catastrophic injury, you need to speak to an attorney immediately. Catastrophic injuries equate to astronomical expenses. And they do not just cost a lot in medical care—they also affect your ability to earn an income and live your life normally.
If the accident was the fault of the other driver, you are owed compensation to pay for those expenses. A qualified attorney will help you calculate your current and future damages, document all related expenses, and strive to get a fair settlement that will cover the full costs. Catastrophic injuries are serious, so you need an attorney who will go the extra mile to help you recover.
At All Injuries Law Firm, our team has provided legal services to numerous car accident victims struggling with catastrophic injuries. We will thoroughly review your case, and once you hire us, we will take care of everything for you. We will deal with the insurance companies, collect the necessary documentation, and fight for your rights.
With our help, you can focus on your health and getting your life back on track. Give us a call at 1-941-625-HURT to ask for a free case evaluation and learn more about how we can help you with your catastrophic injuries.