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Catastrophic injuries vary from one person to the next. What may seem like a life-altering condition for one person could be managed with medications and intensive care for another. So, there isn’t a unified statistic when evaluating the common causes of catastrophic injuries. However, some organizations have identified common causes of preventable deaths, which share commonalities with non-fatal catastrophic injuries.
According to the National Safety Council (NSC), the most common causes of preventative deaths include motor vehicle collisions and intentional poisoning. Being struck by objects is also a leading cause of serious conditions.
All incidents can result from others’ negligence. By hiring a Rutherfordton personal injury lawyer, you get an advocate who can secure financial recovery for your injury-related losses, including pain and suffering, medical expenses, and lost wages.
Understanding What Constitutes a Catastrophic Injury
Before understanding the most common causes of catastrophic injuries, it’s important to know what constitutes these conditions in the first place. A catastrophic injury is a condition that permanently affects your quality of life, usually resulting in a long-term disability. Examples can include:
- Spinal cord injuries: Damage to any part of the spinal cord or nerves at the end of the spinal canal. It often causes permanent changes in strength, sensation, and other body functions below the injury site.
- Traumatic brain injuries (TBIs): Injuries that affect how the brain works. They can result from a blow to the head or when an object penetrates the skull. TBIs can result in lifelong cognitive, physical, and behavioral impairments.
- Third-degree burns: Burns that cover a large portion of the body, are deep, or cause significant scarring can lead to long-term physical disability, as well as emotional and psychological trauma.
- Amputations: The loss of a limb or other external body part. Amputations can result from traumatic injury, medical conditions, or surgical removal. This type of injury can significantly impact a person’s life, requiring adaptations for daily living and possibly prosthetic limbs.
Other serious injuries can include organ damage, vision loss, and deep lacerations.
Motor Vehicle Accidents Cause Many Catastrophic Injuries
Motor vehicle accidents involving buses, trucks, cars, and motorcycles result in countless catastrophic injuries across the nation each year. These collisions can cause serious injuries if:
- A vehicle strikes a pedestrian or bicycle.
- One of the involved passengers is ejected from the vehicle.
- The force of impact causes a passenger to strike their body against the vehicle’s interior.
- A passenger is trapped in the vehicle while it’s on fire or crushed.
- A passenger has a pre-existing condition, like arthritis or osteoporosis.
Speeding, driver inattention, and failing to follow traffic signals contribute to deadly collisions. As noted, if another party’s negligence caused you to suffer catastrophic injuries, you can hold them financially accountable through a personal injury claim or lawsuit.
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Unintentional Poisoning Contributes to 45 Percent of Preventable Deaths
When people imagine catastrophic injuries, they imagine physical conditions with outward signs, like bruising, scarring, and disfigurement. However, poisoning can wreak havoc on the body’s internal systems, leading to kidney failure, cardiac arrest, and neurological disorders. Some causes of unintentional poisoning include:
- Medication misuse: Taking the wrong medication, the wrong dose, or mixing medications without the proper direction of a healthcare provider can lead to poisoning. This includes both prescription and over-the-counter drugs.
- Household chemicals: Cleaning products, detergents, and other household chemicals can be toxic if ingested, inhaled, or sometimes even if they come into contact with the skin.
- Carbon monoxide (CO) exposure: CO is a colorless, odorless gas that can be fatal if inhaled in large amounts. It can come from faulty furnaces, gas stoves, or running a car in an enclosed space, among other sources.
- Lead poisoning: Exposure to lead, often found in imported paint, contaminated dust, and older plumbing systems, can be particularly harmful to children, causing developmental delays and other health issues.
- Pesticides: Chemicals used to kill pests can also be poisonous to humans and pets if improperly handled or ingested.
Each of these scenarios can result from another party’s actions or omissions. For instance, if you were prescribed the wrong medication (or dosage), you could file a medical malpractice claim. If you suffered carbon monoxide poisoning in your apartment, you could have the basis of a premises liability claim. A personal injury lawyer can evaluate your situation and explain your compensation options.
Being Struck by or Against Objects Causes Many Serious, Non-Fatal Injuries
The National Safety Council lists being stuck by objects as being a leading cause of serious injury. As an object falls, it gains velocity, increasing the force of impact when it strikes someone. The higher from which an object falls, the more force it inflicts upon landing.
Being-struck-by-object accidents can happen on construction sites, in warehouses, and in retail stores. These incidents can lead to life-threatening conditions, such as brain injuries, skull fractures, and broken bones. You have financial recovery options whether you were injured on a job site or as a passerby.
Considerations After Suffering a Catastrophic Injury
There are some post-accident considerations that benefit both your health and potential personal injury claim. They include:
- Visiting a healthcare provider. If you haven’t already done so, seeking medical attention should be your top priority after a serious accident. A doctor can stabilize your condition and guide you toward maximum medical improvement. They can also provide your lawyer medical information to bolster your case.
- Following your treatment plan. It’s not enough to visit a doctor after suffering a serious condition. You must also adhere to your treatment plan. Otherwise, the insurance company could dispute the cause and severity of your condition, delaying the claims process.
- Documenting your condition. To compel compensation from the liable party, you must have supporting evidence. Photos of your injuries can go a long way in bolstering your case’s outcome. Other information can include statements from your doctor and the details of your treatment plan.
You should also consider hiring a personal injury lawyer who can build your case and compel the compensation you need. They can investigate the cause of your catastrophic injury, file your claim, and handle your claim’s other obligations.
Begin Your Free Consultation with Our Injury Law Firm
Farmer & Morris Law, PLLC operates on a contingency-fee basis, meaning you don’t pay anything upfront to secure legal assistance. We defer all upfront fees, costs, and retainers until we secure compensation for your damages. Trust our personal injury lawyers to advocate for you and your family during this challenging time. Call now to start your free initial consultation.
