A catastrophic injury is classified as an injury with life-changing consequences. But what exactly does that mean? What are the long-term consequences of a catastrophic injury?
Long-term effects of catastrophic injuries include:
- Physical disability: Most catastrophic injuries cause severe, permanent, and obvious physical symptoms and disabilities. For example, an amputation injury occurs when someone loses a digit, hand, foot, or limb. Or a spinal cord injury can cause paralysis, which causes the survivor to lose mobility and control of various body parts. Oftentimes, overcoming or adjusting to a physical disability is the most challenging part of a catastrophic injury’s aftermath.
- Mental disability: If a catastrophic injury affects the brain, such as a traumatic brain injury (TBI) caused in a car accident, then the survivor will likely suffer a variety of different mental disabilities or mental health difficulties. For example, people who suffer blunt force trauma to the brain often experience memory loss issues or mood swings. Anxiety and depression are also common symptoms of TBI survivors because the injury changes the chemical composition and neural health of the brain.
- Employment difficulties: Many people who suffer a catastrophic injury soon discover that they have new and unexpected difficulties at work. They might not be able to complete their job duties as they once did, and no amount of rest can fix it. As such, in legal contexts, an injury can be considered catastrophic if it prevents the survivor from finding and holding gainful employment, which means it provides an income that allows them to live comfortably.
- Financial hardship: The underlying consequence of a catastrophic injury, no matter what sorts of symptoms it causes, is often financial hardship. Continuing medical care can get incredibly expensive, especially if you are unable to continue working as you did before. Medical debt can follow.
What to Do About Long-Term Catastrophic Injury Consequences
The best way to avoid the worst of long-term catastrophic injury consequences might be to hire an injury attorney soon after your accident and injury. Through a successful injury, you can receive compensation that pays for your medical bills, lost wages, and any lifestyle changes related to a new disability, such as the installation of a wheelchair ramp for your home. When backed by financial compensation paid by the liable party, you can focus on your recovery, health, and happiness.