Austin Catastrophic Injury Attorney
What is Catastrophic Injury?
A catastrophic injury is serious harm to the brain, spinal cord, internal organs, disfigurement that is permanent and causes life changes, amputation, and other non-specific but permanent life altering injuries. Black’s Law Dictionary defines catastrophe as, “incomprehensible loss and damage to life and assets having immense consequences.
Our clients who have suffered catastrophic injuries were injured by commercial vehicles on highways, riding motorcycles and bicycles and injured by negligent motorists in other vehicles, the result of negligent maintenance of premises, construction accidents, a dangerous condition on an individuals or company land, flying on a commercial airline, traveling on mass transit either bus or some other form of government owned vehicle, medical malpractice and or product defect.
Six Types of Catastrophic Injury:
Traumatic Brain Injury—Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) often result from a traumatic blow or strike to the head, a penetrating object into the skull causing penetration to brain tissue. There are various levels of brain trauma and permanence.
Spinal Cord Injury—Injury to the spinal cord generally resulting in quadriplegia, paraplegia, and/or respiratory difficulty.
Amputation—Loss of limb or appendage.
Internal Organ Injury—Damage or incision to internal organs such as kidney, spleen, lungs, liver, arteries or other internal organs.
Body Burns—Burns are measured in degrees. Catastrophic burns to the body tend to be third degree and cover a substantial part of the body and/or significant and permanent disfigurement to face, hands, arms, legs, enough to cause problems with use or sensitivity to the environment or social and employment difficulties.
Mental Incapacity—Trauma induced mental inability to cope with the trauma suffered such as extreme Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, trauma induced psychosis, or inability to cognitively process in a productive manner that effects executive function, employment and or emotionality.
Catastrophic Injury Damages
There are many services available to assist with trying to provide quality of life to an individual that has been catastrophically injured. Eleven examples are listed below. A life care planner is often employed and can determine the life care needs of a person suffering from catastrophic injuries.
- Medical and Rehabilitative Services
- Psychological services
- Prescription Medicines
- Adaptive Modalities such as wheelchairs, canes, walkers and other assistive devices
- Mental Health Counseling
- Home Health Care
- Vocational and Rehabilitation employment services
- Diminished Earning Capacity
- Permanent Disfigurement
- Payment for services no longer able to do independently
- Pain and Suffering
