Types of Catastrophic Injuries

New York Personal Injury Attorneys

Injuries that are considered catastrophic, due to the significant impact they have on their victims, can range from severe burns to serious neurological disorders. Catastrophic injuries often involve the disruption of the brain and central nervous system, which in turn affects many other body parts and systems. As a result, the victim may need long-term medical care, extensive rehabilitation and daily assistance to perform even the simplest tasks.

In New York, when the negligence of another individual or entity leads to a catastrophic injury, the injured victim can file a lawsuit to recover damages for their injury and subsequent losses. To find out if you have a case, fill out our free case review form on the right to speak with a personal injury attorney in New York.

Types of Personal Injuries

Catastrophic injuries that may justify the filing of a New York personal injury lawsuit include the following:

Traumatic brain injuries: Brain injuries commonly result from motor vehicle accidents and result in thousands of deaths per year. For those that survive a traumatic brain injury, most will develop long-term physical, cognitive, behavioral and social problems.

Spinal cord injuries: A spinal cord injury is typically caused by a sudden impact to the spine which dislocates or fractures the vertebrae. Most spinal cord injuries are sustained in auto accidents, but can also result from falls or sporting accidents. A spinal cord injury, such as quadriplegia or paraplegia, can render a victim immobile or unable to perform even the most basic tasks.

Back injuries: Often the result of workplace accidents or motor vehicle crashes, back injuries most commonly develop in the lower back. Common back injuries include strains, sprains, fractured vertebrae and herniated discs. Back injuries can cause pain and limit the patient’s movement and are commonly treated with pain relievers, icing, physical therapy and surgical procedures.

Other types of personal injuries that can have a devastating effect on a victim include loss of limb, ruptured discs, head injuries, fractures, burn injuries and paralysis.

Effects of Catastrophic Injuries

A catastrophic injury can impact a variety of body systems including the circulatory, skin, urinary, respiratory and nervous systems. Managing the effects of a catastrophic injury can be costly and often requires a team of experienced health care professionals including doctors, therapists, nurses, counselors and surgeons. Clearly, the long-term needs of a patient with a serious injury far surpass those with minor injuries. While some injury victims may recover with immediate medical care, others may face permanent disability, reduced life expectancies and life-long pain.

Often, the long-term complications associated with catastrophic injuries do not surface until years after the original accident. For instance, injured children may experience problems as they grow, necessitating surgeries or other medical procedures to accommodate their growth. Likewise, a burn injury victim may need continual reconstructive surgeries for several years after their original accident.

New York Personal Injury Attorneys

An experienced New York personal injury lawyer who understands the long-term effects of a catastrophic injury will be better equipped to ensure their clients receive the compensation they need to undergo necessary medical procedures while remaining financially afloat. At Block O’Toole & Murphy, our New York personal injury attorneys have years of experience handling accident claims and understand the hardships faced by injury victims. For instance, we recently recovered a $32.7 million verdict, the largest non-medical malpractice verdict in Long Island history, for a man who required nursing home care and emergency surgery due to the severe brain damage he sustained in a pedestrian-car collision.

If you or a loved one has suffered a catastrophic injury, our personal injury attorneys in New York can determine whether you are eligible to recover financial compensation for medical bills and other damages. Simply fill out our free case review form and our New York personal injury lawyers will evaluate your claim, at no cost to you.