How Catastrophic Injuries Differ from Other Injury Claims
If you have recently experienced a catastrophic injury, you may be concerned that you will experience reduced function and other lingering symptoms. This is certainly understandable since most of us hope to have a speedy recovery with no long-term consequences. Sadly, catastrophic injuries are characterized as injuries that cause long-term impairment or permanent disability. For this reason, catastrophic injury victims are often eligible to receive greater damages, both for present and anticipated losses that may arise. In this blog, our Nashville catastrophic injury attorneys discuss everything that sets a catastrophic injury claim apart from the typical personal injury claim.
What is a Catastrophic Injury?
A catastrophic injury is any type of injury that causes physical or cognitive impairment. The effects of a catastrophic injury often last for an extended time or are permanent. This type of injury forever changes an individual’s life, preventing them from working or engaging in the relationships that they once cultivated. A catastrophic injury has a sudden and devastating impact on the victim’s life, causing the individual financial, physical, and emotional turmoil. Generally, catastrophic injuries prevent a person from performing activities of daily living (ADL) and other essential functions. Given the lifelong medical care that is often required, the victim may require 24-hour care in a facility.
Common Catastrophic Injuries
A catastrophic injury can occur in the workplace, in a motor vehicle crash, in a slip and fall, on the sports field, or as the result of a dog bite. Common catastrophic injuries include:
Traumatic Brain Injuries
Any strike or blow to the head can disrupt normal brain function, causing a traumatic brain injury, or TBI. Symptoms of a TBI may include headaches, nausea, seizures, difficulty communicating, and loss of consciousness. While not every TBI is a cause for alarm, it is important that you seek medical attention right away to reduce the risk of long-term complications. While TBI symptoms may lessen with rest and therapeutic measures, a person who experiences a catastrophic brain injury may sustain long-term cognitive, physical, or mental impairment. For individuals who experience a moderate or severe TBI, 55% of these survivors are unable to work five years post-injury.
Spinal Cord Injuries
Damage to any part of the spinal cord can impede your brain’s ability to communicate with the rest of your body. A spinal cord injury can happen at any level of your spine, including the cervical, thoracic, lumbar, or sacral spine. Symptoms will vary based on the site of injury. For example, an injury to the upper part of the spinal cord can cause paralysis to both arms and legs (quadriplegia), while an injury to the sacrum typically results in loss of bladder or bowel function.
Internal Organ Damage
Internal organ injuries are considered catastrophic when a person’s life is in danger. Common internal organs that may be damaged in a catastrophic accident include the liver, spleen, kidneys, pancreas, and diaphragm. Catastrophic organ damage typically results from blunt force, making it crucial that the individual receive medical care immediately. In other cases, internal organ damage may be a secondary result of an infection, more typically seen in dog bite cases.
Severe Burns
A catastrophic burn is considered to be any burn that affects multiple layers of skin (third- and fourth-degree burns). Having such a severe burn places you at a higher risk of life-threatening complications, including organ failure and sepsis. Catastrophic burns often destroy nerve endings, requiring that surgical measures be taken to regain sensory function. Additionally, burn victims often experience scarring and disfigurement, forever altering their appearance and life course.
Traumatic Amputations
The loss of a limb, finger, or toe can take place in a traumatic event, known as a traumatic amputation. A traumatic amputation can significantly impact a person’s mental and emotional state, with many victims experiencing post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) as a result of the sudden loss of their extremity. The angle and force of impact will determine if a body part is severed completely or partially. When the damage is extensive in a partial amputation, it may be in an individual’s best interest to have the amputation completed.
Advocacy for Present and Future Costs
Those who experience a catastrophic injury often have exorbitant medical expenses in relation to medical imaging, surgeries, visits with specialists, and physical therapy. Given the severity of injury, many people who have suffered catastrophic injuries require modifications to be made to their homes to guarantee accessibility. These costs are far from cheap, with the costs continuing based on the deterioration of your condition.
Recouping future losses is far from simple. Appropriate evidence must be submitted to demonstrate the degree to which your condition is expected to regress. Additionally, you may receive future lost earnings if you are unable to return to work or if you are forced to work in a reduced capacity. If you are looking for advocacy to recover the compensation that is due to you, look no further than Raybin & Weissman. At Raybin & Weissman, our legal team is committed to calculating all expenses related to your accident or injury, ensuring that you receive maximum compensation.
Speak with a Nashville Catastrophic Injury Lawyer Today
The costs associated with a catastrophic injury can place you and your family in financial hardship. Given the ordeal that you have already been through, there is no reason that you should undergo financial strain for an injury that was caused by another. If you are interested in learning the true worth of your catastrophic injury case, do not hesitate to contact our Nashville catastrophic injury lawyers today.
To schedule your free consultation, contact Raybin & Weissman today online or by calling (615) 256-6666.