A catastrophic injury is an injury so severe that it causes permanent disability and drastically alters the way the injured individual works and lives his or her life. This term is most often used to define injuries to specific parts of the body, including the brain, spinal cord, spine, and skull.
This is because the brain and the spinal cord make up the body’s central nervous system and work together to control all other bodily functions and responses. The spine and the skull serve as protection for these vital organs. The brain and the spine each have only a limited ability to heal from damage, and generally result in permanent disability as well as a slew of complications that can create additional expenses and impacts.
Other types of injuries could be considered catastrophic as well, if they carry the anticipated outcome of permanent disability and a lot of impacts on the person’s way of life. Some examples of severe injuries that can be considered catastrophic include limb amputations, severe burns, and damage to internal organs that results in a significant change in the person’s life expectancy or the way they live their life.
Your attorney can help you understand if your injuries are considered catastrophic.