Specific Types of Catastrophic Injuries

Specific Types of Catastrophic Injuries

What follows is a brief discussion of some of the more common, devastating, injuries that necessitate the expertise of an attorney, knowledgeable in catastrophic injury claims, to obtain adequate financial compensation for the injured individual. If you or your loved one has suffered catastrophic injuries as the result of an accident, consult an attorney to learn your rights to compensation. A lawyer experienced in catastrophic injury litigation, like those at Kolker & Germeroth, LLC in Clayton, Missouri, can help you learn what your rights are.

Severe Burn Injuries

Burns are some of the most expensive injuries to treat. For example, a burn that covers 30 percent of the body can cost approximately $200,000 to treat. Additional fees are incurred for later surgical reconstruction and treatment. Recent statistics show that at least 50 percent of all burn accidents could have been prevented. This means that most burns are caused by the fault of something or someone, often not the victim. On average, 2.4 million burn injuries are reported every year. 75,000 of those injuries are of such a severe nature as to require hospitalization. Of the victims hospitalized, approximately 20,000 have first-degree burns covering 25 percent of their total body surface. Approximately 12,000 burn victims die, and one million are temporarily disabled.

A major complication of severe burns is that they impair other vital systems of the body; this in turn makes victims susceptible to complications, including organ failure, limited use of limbs and severe restriction of the musculature system. Reconstructive surgery can also result in serious complications.

Many complications do not manifest themselves for years after the original injury, making it much harder for victims to accept and, for attorneys, to recover appropriate compensation for them. Therefore, one must be careful to retain an attorney who has extensive experience representing burn victims, since such an attorney will be familiar with the long-term complications of burn injuries, and will ensure that an injured person receives the compensation he or she needs, both for the present and the future.

Brain Injuries

Every year in America, nearly 100,000 people suffer brain injuries that permanently affect their ability to work and do the simple tasks necessary for daily living. Surprisingly, one does not have to be traveling at a high rate of speed or have one's head strike an object, such as a steering wheel or windshield, to suffer a traumatic brain injury. Mild brain injuries can be caused by falls, car accidents or sport-related activities. Trauma to the head or neck region can cause the brain to bruise, bleed, tear and/or swell. There are two general types of head injuries, open or closed. An open injury means the skull has been fractured, while a closed head injury does not involve a fracture. Both types of brain injury can cause paralysis, loss of vital body functions and death.

One can sustain the force necessary to suffer a brain injury in several types of accidents, including car accidents, sport-related occurrences and work-related accidents. Because there may be a gap in time between a traumatic physical event and a victim experiencing physical symptoms resulting from that trauma, the importance of hiring an attorney experienced in brain injury cases, who can tie the injury to its original cause, cannot be overemphasized.

Spinal Cord Injuries

A spinal cord injury can be one of the most devastating events in life, both for the individual experiencing it and his/her family and friends. Spinal cord injuries impose a tremendous burden on both the affected individuals and society at large, with costs that are staggering. The quality of life for individuals with spinal cord injuries has greatly improved in the last 60 years. This has been especially true in the last two decades. Statistical data published by the National Spinal Cord Injury Statistical Center reflects continuing improvements in life expectancy and a reduction in the severity and occurrence rates of life threatening spinal cord injury complications. Improvements in standards of care, adaptive equipment, environmental modification, and legislation benefiting the disabled, have enhanced and enriched the lives of many injured individuals and their families.

The type of activity giving rise to spinal cord injuries varies by age, with sport-related spinal cord injuries more common in children and teenagers, while work-related spinal cord injuries (especially from construction work) predominate in adults. Common causes of traumatic injury to the spinal cord include:

• Motor vehicle accidents
• Acts of deliberate violence
• Falls
• Sports (including diving)

Contact a Personal Injury Lawyer

Due to the severe and permanent nature of a spinal cord injury, in bringing a claim for such an injury based on the fault or wrongdoing of another, it is imperative to retain the services of an attorney and competent physician. While these professionals may not be able to alleviate an individual's pain or loss of body functioning, they can obtain the optimal financial recovery to which an injured individual may be entitled, and access to the most current medical advances. An attorney experienced in handling catastrophic injury cases from Kolker & Germeroth, LLC in Clayton, Missouri, will work to identify all of the parties who may be responsible for your injuries.

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