Largo Catastrophic Injuries
In 2017, there were 29.4 million emergency room visits for accidents and unintentional injuries. Of those visits, there were 167,127 deaths because of accidents or unintentional injury. That’s 51.1 deaths per 100,000 people in the United States. The top two causes of death from accidents and unintentional injuries are falls and motor vehicle accidents. If someone dies from an accident, it’s because they were catastrophically injured. Death can occur at the scene of the accident, or later on while receiving treatment.
What is a Catastrophic Injury?
A catastrophic injury is an injury that has a great effect on one’s life, causes lasting problems and high medical bills. Catastrophic injuries including traumatic brain injury, spinal cord injury, intense or severe burns, and more. A catastrophic injury will cause permanent effects, like disability, that prevent a person from going about their everyday life.
Back and Spinal Cord Injuries
Spinal cord injuries occur when the spine is struck with great force, causing damage to the spinal column and the soft tissue surrounding it. The higher up the injury occurs, the more severe it will be. Spinal cord injuries can lead to paralysis. Paralysis may either be complete or incomplete, referring to how much ability remains below the site of the injury. If full loss of ability occurs, the injury is complete. Spinal cord injuries can be expensive, as surgery, rehabilitation, and injections may be necessary. The treatment for a spinal cord injury can be lifelong, so these costs may be recurring.
Brain Injuries
Traumatic brain injuries occur when the brain is struck or penetrated with great force. There are many different types of brain injuries, ranging from a mild concussion to permanent brain damage.
One common type of brain injury is the coup/contrecoup injury. A coup injury means that the brain was struck and the damage to the brain occurred at the site of the injury. A contrecoup injury means that the head was struck, causing the brain to slam against the opposing side, causing damage opposite to the site. A coup/contrecoup injury occurs when both the site of the injury and the opposing site are damaged. These types of injuries are very common in motor vehicle accidents.
Traumatic brain injuries can leave the victim in a coma or vegetative state. Both these states are expensive to maintain, as life support is needed to keep the patient alive. Once the patient comes out of the unconscious state, there will likely still be more required treatment, including expensive labs, surgeries, and physical therapy.
Severe Burns
Severe burns are often caused because of car accidents or workplace injuries. Severe burns can seriously disfigure a person, as well as cause tremendous pain. Severe burns will likely require a skin graft to repair the skin that was burned away in the accident. These can be costly, as plastic surgery may also be warranted, as burns can leave a person resembling themselves pre-accident. While a severe burn doesn’t cause a disability, it does cause deformity, which qualifies it as a catastrophic injury.
Wrongful Death
Wrongful death can also occur, either at the scene of the accident or later on during treatment because of complications associated with injuries sustained because of the accident. If someone you love has passed away because of a catastrophic injury, you may be able to file a lawsuit on their behalf.
What Causes Catastrophic Injury?
There are many different causes of catastrophic injuries, such as motor vehicle accidents, slips and falls, nursing home abuse, daycare abuse, workplace injuries, and more. However, the most common causes of catastrophic injuries are as follows:
Car Accidents
Car accidents are a large cause of catastrophic injuries. They occur frequently and can cause spinal cord injuries, traumatic brain injuries, severe burns, and death. Pedestrian accidents, motorcycle accidents, and bicycle accidents can also cause catastrophic injuries.
Truck Accidents
Commercial truck accidents are often catastrophic, simply because of how much a truck weighs in comparison to a passenger vehicle. A commercial truck causes great force, inflicting injuries upon the passenger vehicle occupants.
Slip and Falls
Slip and falls, especially in dangerous workplaces like construction, are very common. Falls from heights account for a big percentage of catastrophic injuries and can cause spinal cord injury, traumatic brain injury, and wrongful death. Burns may also occur at the workplace because of explosions, fires, and chemicals.
How Does a Catastrophic Injury Affect Your Life?
A catastrophic injury can affect your life in many ways. It may prevent you from doing the job that you were previously able to do. It may make you feel down about your life, wishing that your accident had never occurred. You may have a disability or deformity that affects your everyday life as well as your mood. You may need help completing even simple tasks, like going to the bathroom or taking a shower. The way that catastrophic injuries affect people will vary from person to person, but generally they will greatly affect your quality of life.
Contact a Catastrophic Injury Attorney
If you or someone you love has been involved in an accident that left them with a catastrophic injury, please contact our talented attorneys here at Jones Law Group. We have experience working on catastrophic injury cases, and can help you or your loved one receive the compensation—and justice—that you/they deserve. For more information, or a free case evaluation, please contact us online using our chat box option, or by calling us at 727-571-1333.