What Qualifies as a Catastrophic Injury?

A catastrophic injury can have immediate and life-altering consequences that can leave you feeling uncertain about the future. These cases are treated differently under Texas law due to the long-term impact these injuries can have on your health and mental well-being.

Understanding whether your injury qualifies as catastrophic is an important first step as you pursue compensation with the help of a personal injury lawyer. Call Campos Law Group at 512-233-6947 for a free consultation to learn how your injury may entitle you to significant compensation.

What Is Considered a Catastrophic Injury in Texas?

A catastrophic injury is any injury that causes long-term or permanent loss of function, whether mental, physical, or both. These are not the types of injuries that heal within days or weeks. Instead, they leave lasting impairments that can limit your ability to return to work or complete everyday routines.

The courts often consider the impact of catastrophic injuries when awarding damages. Common examples of these types of injuries include:

• Traumatic brain injuries,
• Harm to the spinal cord, and
• The loss of one or more limbs.

These and other types of catastrophic injuries can lead to cognitive impairment, chronic pain, paralysis, or amputations. If an injury alters your daily life permanently, it may qualify as a chronic injury.

What Are Common Examples of Catastrophic Injuries?

Catastrophic injuries include conditions that fundamentally limit a person’s mobility, cognitive ability, or physical function, such as:

• Traumatic brain injury (TBI): Falling scaffolding at a construction site can cause all sorts of TBIs.
• Above-the-knee amputation: Becoming pinned by malfunctioning industrial equipment can cause crush injuries that necessitate amputation.
• Third-degree burns: House fires, especially from faulty wiring, can cause severe burns.
• Blindness: Explosions, such as at a chemical plant, can cause blindness, among other severe or deadly injuries.
• Crushed vertebrae: Rollover crashes on rural highways can crush vertebrae.
• Severe internal organ damage: A forklift at work can cause organ damage when it strikes a person.

These injuries usually require extensive surgeries, long-term medical treatment, and continuous care, making them far more serious than typical accident injuries. The more life-disrupting the injury, the more likely it is to be considered catastrophic.

What Types of Accidents Cause Catastrophic Injuries?

These types of life-altering injuries often result from high-impact or negligent incidents. Motor vehicle accidents (including truck, motorcycle, and pedestrian collisions) are among the leading causes of catastrophic injuries.

Certain worksites are more likely to see these types of injuries than others, although they can even occur in office settings. Work environments that employ heavy equipment or require workers to climb scaffolding may have more frequent incidents of serious or life-threatening injuries. Campos Law Group investigates how and why the injury occurred to determine who may be legally responsible.

How Does a Catastrophic Injury Affect a Legal Claim?

A catastrophic injury can have a significant impact on a plaintiff’s claim for compensation. If the injured victim suffered life-altering injuries that affected their mental health and ability to return to work, the injury claim could be significant. Catastrophic injury claims may require the negligent party to pay for a range of damages.

The civil courts classify damages as monetary and non-monetary. Monetary damages are easily measurable because they are based on receipts and other readily available forms of accounting, while non-monetary damages include less tangible things like emotional distress and pain and suffering.

Victims of catastrophic injuries may be entitled to significantly higher compensation because the damages affect every part of their lives. That can include coverage for current and future medical expenses, lost wages, diminished earning capacity, pain and suffering, emotional trauma, and permanent disability. Some cases may also allow for compensation for home renovations or assistive technology like wheelchairs.

What Should I Do Following a Serious Injury?

Your first priority should always be your health and safety. Seek immediate medical attention and follow treatment plans closely. Your medical records and other forms of treatment documentation can help your claim later on.

If another person or group caused or contributed to your injury, you have the right to secure legal representation. A lawyer who has experience representing clients who suffered catastrophic injuries can gather evidence, work with medical and financial professionals, and build a strong case that can lead to significant compensation for your injury and financial losses.

Call Campos Law Group to Discuss Your Case

If you or a loved one has suffered a catastrophic injury, you may be facing a lifetime of medical bills, lost income, and physical hardship. You don’t have to handle that alone. Contact Campos Law Group today or call us at 512-233-6947 for a free consultation and take the first step toward recovering the compensation you deserve. We’re ready to help you understand your options and protect your future.