What is a catastrophic injury in personal injury law?

Disabled man in wheelchair next to handicap van October 4, 2019

In the world of personal injury, terms such as soft tissue injury, skeletal injury, loss of use, and catastrophic injury (just to name a few) are used to broadly describe the extent of the injury a victim suffered because of an accident. With some injuries, a victim can recover in weeks or months of medical treatment. But with more serious injuries, like catastrophic injuries, the impact is permanent and can alter a person’s quality of life.

A catastrophic injury is one that results in a severe and permanent disability, usually leaving the victim of an accident unable to return to the same active or normal lifestyle as before. In the most extreme circumstances, a catastrophic injury can involve a traumatic brain injury or paralysis.

Catastrophic injuries usually result in life-long medical expenses and long-term care costs, which can impact both the victim and their families. Sometimes a family member may have to leave their job to take care of a victim that needs 24-hour assistance. In other instances, a family might hire a caretaker in a full-time role at a considerable expense.

A catastrophic injury can occur as a result of a variety of types of accidents, and the personal injury attorneys at Lowe Scott Fisher Co., LPA have represented victims who were hurt in the following situations:

Under Ohio law, a victim injured by the careless or reckless behavior of another person or entity is entitled to pursue financial damages to compensate them for the harm caused, including future medical expenses.

What qualifies as a catastrophic injury?

There are a few factors to consider in determining whether or not an injury is catastrophic:

  1. How debilitating is the injury?
  2. How long is the debilitation from the injury expected to last?
  3. What amount of impact will the injury have on the injured person’s life and ability to work?

What are some types of catastrophic injuries?

Some examples of catastrophic injuries for which the attorneys at Lowe Scott Fisher have represented victims include:

Contact Lowe Scott Fisher today if you need legal help

If you or a family member suffered a catastrophic injury in an accident caused by another party’s negligence, contact the personal injury attorneys at Lowe Scott Fisher to find out what legal remedies you may have.

For most of our clients, a catastrophic personal injury or a wrongful death in the family is a once-in-a-lifetime, cataclysmic event. As a result, we provide experienced counsel and advocacy in protecting your rights when someone else’s negligence turned your world upside down.

Contact our office today for a free consultation at 216-781-2600 to find out how we can help protect you and your family.

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