Most personal injuries cause a great deal of pain and inconvenience. However, some accidents are so severe, the results leave victims with unrepairable damages. 

These types of cases are classified as catastrophic injuries. They result in some of the most devastating and challenging outcomes, often adversely affecting every aspect of a person’s life.  

Types of Catastrophic Injuries  

Catastrophic injuries generally fall into three categories: cognitive injuries, spinal cord injuries, and physical injuries.  

Cognitive Injuries  

Cognitive injuries are among the most challenging types of catastrophic cases. These injuries result from traumatic damage to the brain and can take years to diagnosis the full extent of the damages sustained. Cognitive injuries may include difficulty with chronic pain, memory, speaking, sleeping, or the ability to retain new information. In the most serious cases, brain damage can also result in permanent alterations of someone’s personality and demeanor.  

Spinal Cord Injuries  

Spinal cord injuries involve traumatic damage directly to the spinal cord or bones and nerves surrounding the spine. The most common types of spinal cord injuries include cervical, lumbar, thoracic, and sacral injuries. Spinal cord damage can be classified as complete (permanent damage to the spinal cord) or incomplete (partial damage to the spinal cord). Both types of injuries can significantly affect a person’s mobility, daily functioning, and quality of life.  

Physical Injuries  

Physical catastrophic injuries include all other injuries to the body, aside from the spinal cord and brain. Examples include burn injuries, amputations, severe fractures, nerve damage, and organ damage.  

What Accidents Lead To Catastrophic Injuries  

Catastrophic injuries are the result of accidents involving serious trauma, force, or hazardous materials and equipment. This may include:  

What Constitutes a Catastrophic Injury  

Injuries classified as catastrophic must meet certain requirements when filing a personal injury claim. Catastrophic injuries are defined differently depending on the type. To qualify as ‘catastrophic’, an injury must be or have: 

  • An incapacitation; 
  • A permanent functional disability;  
  • A severe disability or impairment;  
  • A serious impact on at least one of the body’s major systems;  
  • A period of suffering prior to a terminal condition or death; and/or 
  • An injury to a significant vital organ or body part such as the brain, neck, or spinal cord.  

Catastrophic injuries do not only bear heavily on the survivors. Families of survivors are equally as impacted by these tragedies, sometimes giving up their own lives to care for injured loved ones.  

When choosing a lawyer to file your claim, it’s crucial to choose an attorney who is experienced in catastrophic injury cases and will take all damages experienced into account. Catastrophic injury lawyers must be able to prove why an injury meets catastrophic standards and how it has globally impacted on a survivor’s life. Failing to do so could result in a denied claim or lower monetary reward than needed to get someone back on their feet after an accident.  

New York City and Long Island Catastrophic Injury Attorneys 

Our catastrophic injury attorneys at the law firm of Siler & Ingber, have over 20 years of experience serving clients across New York City and Long Island. We protect your rights by maximizing recovery and securing the financial support our clients need to succeed on their road to recovery. Our winning attorneys know how to navigate through the claim process using past experience as insurance defense attorneys. We are not afraid to fight and are fully prepared to take your case to trial to get a justified verdict over settling for less. 

If you or a loved one has been injured in an accident due to the negligence of another, our team at Siler & Ingber is here to help. With a 98% success rate, we have the experience and the know-how to help our clients achieve a favorable outcome. Contact us today at 1-877-LAW-4343, or schedule an appointment online anytime. We never charge a fee unless we recover money for you. 

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