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A catastrophic injury can permanently change your quality of life. A minor injury will not. If you suffered a serious, life-altering injury due to another party’s negligence, the law offers legal remedies that allow you to seek compensation for medical bills and other injury-related costs.
To establish that you suffered a catastrophic injury, you benefit from hiring an experienced Rutherfordton personal injury lawyer. They can draw on your medical records, your doctors’ testimony, and other information to build a robust case.
What Constitutes a Catastrophic Injury?
There is no legal definition for catastrophic injuries under state law. However, they’re universally defined as conditions that result in a permanent disability, with such injuries including:
- Spinal cord injuries (SCIs): Depending on the level and severity, SCIs can lead to partial or complete paralysis, including paraplegia or quadriplegia, severely limiting one’s mobility and requiring long-term care.
- Traumatic brain injuries (TBIs): Severe TBIs can lead to permanent cognitive, physical, and emotional impairments, including memory loss, reduced cognitive function, changes in personality, and physical limitations.
- Severe burns: Extensive third-degree burns can lead to permanent disfigurement, loss of mobility due to scar tissue, and the need for ongoing surgeries and rehabilitation.
- Amputations: Loss of limbs or parts of limbs drastically changes a person’s life, affecting their mobility, independence, and ability to perform certain jobs or activities.
- Severe fractures: Fractures involving the joints, including those in the hips and knees, can contribute to other impairments, such as arthritis.
This is not an exhaustive list.
What Constitutes a Minor Injury?
What may seem like a minor injury to one person could prove catastrophic for another. For example, imagine two people hurt in the same car accident. One person is an 18-year-old male, and the other is his 80-year-old grandmother.
The young man might walk away with bruises and minor discomfort, which can heal with minimal medical intervention and little to no long-term impact on his life. In contrast, the same incident could result in severe injuries for the elderly woman, such as hip fractures or serious head injuries, potentially leading to long-lasting or even permanent health issues.
Minor injuries typically share certain characteristics:
- Limited medical intervention required: Minor injuries often need basic medical care, such as first aid, over-the-counter pain medication, or a short visit to a healthcare provider. They usually do not require surgery or extensive medical treatment.
- Short recovery time: These injuries generally heal within days to a few weeks, allowing individuals to resume their normal activities relatively quickly without lasting health impacts.
- Minimal impact on daily life: While recovery is ongoing, the interference with an individual’s daily routines is usually low. People can often continue with most of their regular activities, possibly with minor adjustments.
- Low risk of permanent damage: Unlike catastrophic injuries, minor injuries seldom result in long-term or permanent damage. Full recovery is expected, and there are minimal to no long-term health implications.
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Catastrophic Injuries Are Vastly Different From Minor Injuries
In the aftermath of a minor injury, the afflicted person can generally maintain their quality of life after receiving medical care or even allowing the injury to heal on its own. The same does not ring true for catastrophic injuries. The injured person may face:
- A long-term or permanent disability: Catastrophic injuries often result in conditions that the individual must live with for the rest of their life. This can range from partial or total paralysis, significant cognitive impairments, or other physical disabilities that drastically alter their day-to-day life.
- Extended periods of hospitalization and rehabilitation: Recovering from a catastrophic injury usually involves lengthy hospital stays followed by extended periods of rehabilitation. Rehabilitation can include physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech therapy, and psychological counseling.
- Significant medical expenses: The cost of emergency care, surgery, hospitalization, medication, and ongoing rehabilitation can be astronomical, placing a heavy financial burden on the injured person and their family.
- Loss of income and employment: The severity of catastrophic injuries often prevents the injured person from returning to their previous job. In some cases, they may be unable to work at all, resulting in a significant loss of income and financial security.
- Need for long-term care and assistance: Many individuals with catastrophic injuries require assistance with daily activities such as bathing, dressing, eating, and moving around. This may necessitate hiring caregivers or relying on family members for support.
- Modifications to living spaces: Homes may need to be modified to accommodate wheelchairs, which can include installing ramps, modifying bathrooms, and making other changes to facilitate the injured person’s mobility and independence.
These Incidents Can Cause Catastrophic Injuries
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) lists some of the most common causes of non-fatal catastrophic injuries. They include:
- Being struck by an object
- Motor vehicle accidents
- Unintentional poisoning
- Overexertion
- Animal bites/stings
Everyone’s body responds to trauma differently. For example, while some can walk away from serious car accidents unscathed, others require life-long intensive care. If you were recently in an accident, even one not listed here, you benefit from getting prompt medical attention. A doctor can assess your condition and outline a treatment plan that prioritizes your needs.
The Importance of Considering Legal Representation After a Catastrophic Injury
If another party’s negligence led to your catastrophic injury, you benefit from partnering with a personal injury lawyer to recover compensation for your losses. They can build a case that reflects the severity of your condition, along with your right to secure financial recovery for medical bills, lost income, and pain and suffering.
For more than a decade, Farmer & Morris Law, PLLC has advocated for injured people, recovering more than $100 million in personal injury and disability settlements. With our support, you can focus on achieving maximum medical improvement while we focus on holding the at-fault party financially liable for your losses.
Under our state’s statute of limitations, you have a limited time to initiate legal proceedings. So, we encourage you to call today and begin your free consultation.
