What Is a Catastrophic Injury?
The term catastrophic injury typically describes a severe injury that significantly impacts a victim’s life. Injuries resulting from accidents and medical mistakes can vary widely in terms of their severity. While some injuries are relatively minor, others can have substantial and long-term—if not permanent—effects on victims’ lives.
In personal injury cases involving catastrophic injuries, victims often face high medical bills, prolonged care, and lost wages. These costs can quickly add up and leave victims frightened and unsure about their physical and financial futures.
The experienced attorneys at Mandell, Boisclair & Mandell, Ltd. have helped victims of catastrophic injuries for more than 45 years. If you suffered a serious injury because of the negligent actions of someone else, we want to hear your story. We may be able to recover compensation for your physical, financial, and emotional losses.
4 Examples of Catastrophic Injuries
If you have suffered a catastrophic injury due to someone else’s negligence, it will be important for you to speak with a lawyer promptly. So, what is a catastrophic injury? Some examples of catastrophic injuries that can result from accidents and medical malpractice include:
1. Loss of Limbs (Including Amputation)
Losing a limb is a life-altering experience. In addition to victims’ physical loss, losing a limb can have psychological effects that last a lifetime. Coping with the loss of a limb remains a lifelong endeavor. Whether due to physical trauma, infection, or the need for amputation, losing a limb is undoubtedly a catastrophic injury.
2. Severe Burns
Severe burns are also injuries that can have painful, lifelong consequences. The most severe burns are third-degree and fourth-degree burns, which the National Institutes of Health (NIH) define as those that affect the deep layers of the skin, and potentially the underlying muscle and bone. The NIH also considers second-degree burns to be “major burns” if they are more than two inches wide or if they are on “the hands, feet, face, groin, buttocks, or over a major joint.” Second-degree burns are those that affect the epidermis and the dermis, which are the two outermost layers of the skin.
3. Spinal Cord Injuries
Spinal cord injuries are often catastrophic injuries. These injuries can have a variety of consequences, ranging from chronic pain to bowel and bladder control issues, and from muscle spasticity to paralysis. Victims will suffer from lifelong consequences in many cases.
4. Traumatic Brain Injuries (TBI)
Traumatic brain injuries (TBI) can also be catastrophic injuries in many cases. As doctors and medical researchers learn more about the long-term effects of brain trauma, even relatively “minor” brain injuries such as concussions are being taken much more seriously. Along with concussions, other types of TBI that can result from vehicle collisions, falls, and other accidents include:
- Brain contusions
- Brain hematomas
- Brain hemorrhages
- Coup-contrecoup injuries
- Diffuse axonal injuries
- Penetrating brain injuries
Speak with a Providence Personal Injury Lawyer for Free
If you or a loved one has suffered a catastrophic injury due to someone else’s reckless, careless, or negligent behavior, contact the Providence personal injury lawyers at Mandell, Boisclair & Mandell, Ltd. today. During your free initial consultation, we will listen to your side of the story and explain your rights and legal options.
Don’t face your injury alone. Contact our office online or at (401) 273-8330 for a free, no-obligation consultation.
