A catastrophic personal injury is an injury so severe that it may require life-long medical and personal care, or even reconstructive surgery. These types of injuries are devastating for families whose loved ones may never fully recover, or may be unable to work for the rest of their life. A severe injury to the spine, spinal cord, or brain, as well as skull or spinal fractures, the loss of a limb, and severe burns that cause disfigurement or a long-term severe functional disability are considered catastrophic.