If you were in a car accident, injured at work or otherwise hurt, your injuries may seem like a catastrophe to you, especially when you are in serous pain and have not yet fully recovered. However, “catastrophic injuries” has a certain meaning in the legal community, which you and other Louisiana residents may find interesting to learn about.
According to FindLaw, a catastrophic injury entails more than the suffering you would feel while recovering from something like a broken leg or a minor concussion. Catastrophic injuries are those that would seriously and permanently disable you, in most cases rendering you unable to work and significantly impacting your quality of life. If you are able to recover from a catastrophic injury, it could take months or years. The following examples illustrate several types of catastrophic injuries:
- A traumatic brain injury you sustained after falling down a flight of icy stairs
- Internal injuries following a motor vehicle accident with a drunk driver
- Broken bones from being struck by a car while walking across the street or riding your bicycle
- Third-degree burns after a house fire started by a faulty appliance
As you can imagine, you would need a great deal of time to recover from such injuries, and you might not be able to support yourself either long-term or permanently, due to the disabling nature of a catastrophic accident. With injuries this severe, you may wish to seek significant compensation. Seeking damages after a serious accident requires experienced counsel, so this information should not replace the advice of a lawyer.