Overview
- Catastrophic injuries lead to life-changing, permanent consequences.
- Common types include amputations, brain injuries, spinal cord injuries, severe burns, and organ damage.
- Major causes: vehicle accidents, workplace incidents, sports injuries, violent crime, falls, medical malpractice, and defective products.
- Victims may seek legal compensation if caused by wrongful actions.
There are different types and common causes of catastrophic injuries. Let’s explore what a catastrophic injury is and the most common causes of catastrophic injuries.
What Is a Catastrophic Injury?
To be classified as “catastrophic,” an injury generally must leave the victim with life-changing and often permanent consequences and functional limitations. Such an injury usually leaves the affected person and their family in shock as it changes everything, and they struggle to know what their next move should be.
Types of Catastrophic Injuries
Unfortunately, the list of catastrophic injuries is not a short one. So many events can have a serious and negative physical impact, including, but not limited to:
- Amputation
- Birth injuries
- The loss of eyesight or hearing
- Spinal cord injuries
- Nerve/Neurological damage
- Paralysis (quadriplegia, paraplegia)
- Brain injuries
- Crush injuries
- Severe burns
- Serious organ damage
- Serious back or neck injuries
Any injury that causes serious and lasting physical, mental, or other serious functional limitations can be considered catastrophic.
Common Causes of Catastrophic Injuries
Similar to types of catastrophic injuries, the causes are also seemingly endless. While almost any situation can be dangerous given the right elements, some causes are more responsible for catastrophic injuries than others. Those include:
Vehicle Accidents: There are millions vehicle accidents every year. Cars, trailers, and large trucks can all cause severe injuries during a collision.
In the Line of Duty: One might expect traumatic injuries in certain high-risk careers such as police work, the military, and construction. However, work-related accidents can happen anywhere, especially when safety compliance in the workplace is negligent, and can be caused not only by an employer or co-employee, but other third-party contractors or persons working at a job site or location.
Leisure and Sports Activities: Regrettably, fun times can also end in catastrophic injuries. Here, the most common causes are motorcycle accidents, boating accidents, horse riding accidents, trampoline falls, bicycle accidents, jet ski accidents, and other sports-related accidents.
Violent Crime: Gun violence and physical violence can change a victim’s life and future in an instant. Every year, emergency rooms receive victims who have been seriously and irrevocably harmed during a robbery, home invasion, or worse. Sometimes, a person may negligently handle a firearm, leading to catastrophic consequences.
Falls: Falling is another common cause of terrible injuries. People injure themselves falling down stairs, falling on slippery surfaces, tripping over misplaced objects, falling from heights, crashing from ladders, and more. The misuse of, lack of, or faulty safety equipment or guards can sometimes be the cause of catastrophic falls.
Medical Malpractice: Injuries occurring while under medical treatment can result from a botched surgery, negligence, failure to treat a patient, birth injuries, incorrect diagnosis, and the use of defective medical devices.
Defective Products: Faulty products can be dangerous. They have been known to cause fires, explosions, amputations, chemical burns, organ damage, head damage, and choking, among other catastrophic injuries.
When catastrophic injuries are caused by the wrongful actions of someone else, legal claims and legal action may be available to compensate the injured victim. The Colorado injury lawyers at Whalen Injury Lawyers can help you or a loved one understand the rights you and your loved one may have and help obtain compensation for catastrophic injuries.
