Federal law considers any permanent injury preventing a person from working as catastrophic. Yet, some injuries occur more than others. Some common types of catastrophic injuries include:
Severe burns are not only acutely painful, but they can also be traumatic and create life-long physical and emotional pain. Burns are categorized as catastrophic when they cover much of the body and require reconstructive surgeries, skin grafts, and sometimes a medically induced coma to heal. Even with medical care, the risk of infection due to wide, deep burns is significant.
Traumatic brain injuries (TBI) are caused by an outside force striking or penetrating the skull. These injuries are usually caused by a violent blow to the head or by an object penetrating the skull. Traumatic brain injuries commonly occur in severe car accidents, slips and falls, and workplace injuries. Brain injuries that are categorized as catastrophic often mean that a victim suffers from cognitive issues, like loss of memory and ability to focus; physical issues, like impaired coordination and balance and loss of motor functioning; hearing issues; vision problems; and behavioral problems, like depression, anxiety, and aggression. In situations with severe brain injuries, victims may experience a coma, a vegetative state, or death.
Spinal cord injuries can be catastrophic because of how important the spine is to the human body’s operation. A traumatic spinal cord injury can occur because of a sudden blow to the spine during a car accident or slip and fall. A catastrophic spinal cord injury often causes permanent loss of strength, sensation, and function below the site of the injury. This may cause temporary paralysis or even permanent paraplegia or quadriplegia. In these cases, the injured victim will likely require extensive rehabilitation and assistive devices to get back some movement and independence.
Severe orthopedic injuries such as crushed bones and fractures requiring multiple surgeries are also categorized as catastrophic. A crushed bone or multiple fractures most often occurs when force or pressure is put on a body part. Sometimes these types of injuries are due to being caught between two heavy objects in a car accident or a workplace accident. Crushed bone injuries are extremely painful, may require multiple surgeries, and run the risk of long-term issues.
Amputation, meaning the loss of a limb or an extremity, is often a result of a severe accident. An amputation often cannot be repaired and may put the patient’s life at risk. Amputations are less common than most other catastrophic injuries, but when they do occur it usually means a lifelong disability for those whose amputations were a result of an accident.
Permanent vision or hearing loss clearly creates a significant burden for those who suffer these types of injuries. For this reason, vision and hearing loss are categorized as catastrophic. When someone no longer has the ability to hear or see, they face a lifetime of hardship, financial difficulties, pain and suffering, lost income potential, and independence.