A catastrophic injury is loosely defined as one that has a lasting impact on your life. For example, a traumatic brain injury (TBI) may be considered catastrophic as it may require weeks or months of rehab in a California hospital to recover from. Broken bones, organ failure or spinal cord fractures may also be examples of catastrophic injuries.
How catastrophic injuries occur
In many cases, catastrophic injuries are caused by severe trauma related to a car accident or a fall from heights. A workplace accident may also be severe enough to result in a bruised spine or an injury that requires your arm or leg to be amputated. However, it’s also possible to incur a serious injury while walking down the street or participating in other events that are generally thought to have a low risk of causing serious pain or suffering.
Reduce your risk of getting hurt
Reducing your risk of getting hurt may be as simple as adhering to basic safety rules. For example, if you are planning to cross the street, you should only do so at designated crosswalks to reduce the odds of getting hit by a car. If you are in a car, wearing a safety belt can be an easy way to avoid being ejected from the vehicle in an accident. Wearing hard hats may be an easy way to prevent an injury while working on a construction site or other hazardous locations.
A catastrophic injury may result in an inability to work, drive or engage in other activities. However, if you can prove that another party’s negligence caused your injury, it may be possible to obtain compensation for medical bills, lost wages and other damages related to the defendant’s actions.
