Being injured at all due to someone else’s negligence can be very upsetting even if you make a full recovery. Even injuries that are not catastrophic in nature can still force you to take time off from work while you heal or require follow-up visits with specialists or even some physical therapy. These are all losses or expenses that you could be compensated for. When an injury is life-altering or permanent, it may be referred to as a catastrophic injury. For those who have suffered this type of injury, life may never be the same.

If you have suffered this type of injury, you will need a skilled personal injury attorney to fight for you to receive full compensation for everything this injury will cost you.

What Types of Injuries Are Considered Catastrophic?

A catastrophic injury is one that will affect your life permanently. These very serious injuries often result in disabilities that can take you out of the workforce or leave you unable to fully care for yourself, your home, and anyone who depends on you. Injuries that are generally considered catastrophic include:

Catastrophic injuries often cause severe injuries that can be permanent or last for a long time. Deafness in one or both ears is one of the most frightening consequences you may suffer from an injury. There is no ignoring it when you have lost your hearing – you are forced to adjust every aspect of your life. If you are fortunate, your hearing may recover over time or hearing aids may allow you to function. Those who are less fortunate may be permanently deaf, forever impairing their ability to work, perform certain tasks and enjoy life. No matter the extent of your hearing loss, you deserve compensation if another party was at fault for the injury that caused your deafness.

Common Causes

Hearing loss injuries are most commonly associated with workplace injuries, such as being exposed to loud noises over an extended period. These cases fall under workers’ compensation law, which is separate from personal injury law and has more limits on the compensation you can collect. However, a hearing loss injury can also fall outside of workers’ compensation law, allowing you to file a lawsuit against someone other than your employer. For instance:

• A third-party manufacturer may be liable for a faulty product that damaged your hearing or failed to protect you.
• A negligent party may have caused an extreme noise that damaged your hearing.
• Ear and brain injuries during a collision, such as a car crash, can cause hearing loss.

It can be difficult to connect your hearing loss to a specific incident because the effect may be delayed. You also must prove that you did not lose your hearing naturally with age or due to factors that are separate from the incident.

Diagnosing a traumatic brain injury after an accident is more complicated than diagnosing other serious injuries. You will not take long to realize something is wrong when you have broken a bone or torn a ligament. Symptoms of a brain injury can take days to appear, and you may not immediately understand what they mean or connect them to your accident. If you file a personal injury lawsuit, the liable party may use the uncertainties about brain injuries to deny that the incident caused a brain injury or that your symptoms are severe. You can best prove your brain injury for your case by getting a diagnosis as soon as possible.

Brain Injury Causes

You are most likely to suffer a traumatic brain injury because of a fall, being struck by an object, or a car accident. A brain injury can occur even if your skull is not fractured or penetrated. A sudden impact or jolt can cause your brain to collide with your skull, resulting in damage. Losing consciousness after your accident is a common sign of a brain injury, but you may still have suffered a brain injury if you remained conscious. You should ask your doctor about the possibility of a brain injury and follow up if you notice any symptoms.

Mild to Severe Brain Injuries

Your doctor may categorize your traumatic brain injury as mild, moderate, or severe, depending on the extent of your symptoms. However, even a mild brain injury can have long-term debilitating symptoms. Common symptoms of a mild traumatic brain injury include:

Suffering a catastrophic injury to your spine is a life-altering event. The immediate treatment and long-term effects can take a physical and mental toll on you. It may be hard to put a monetary value on how much a spinal injury will cost you, but you should have an idea if you are seeking legal compensation from the party at fault for the injury.

Immediate Cost

The initial medical fees often are the most expensive part of a spinal injury. Treatment can require surgery, prolonged hospital stays, rehabilitation and use of medical equipment such as wheelchairs. A study found that the average first-year cost for a patient who loses any level of motor function is more that $300,000. The first-year cost escalates, depending on the severity of the injury, including: