Catastrophic Injury

While all injuries have the potential to be painful, scary, and even debilitating, there is no doubt that some injuries are much more severe than others. In fact, injuries may even be catastrophic, which means that an injury causes severe harm to the brain, spinal cord, spine, or skull.

At the law offices of Taylor Martino Rowan, we are passionate about helping clients who have been injured in catastrophic accidents through no fault of their own, and can review your case for free to provide you with the legal advice you need moving forward.

Types of Catastrophic Injuries

As stated above, there are generally four recognized types of catastrophic injuries:

Traumatic brain injuries. Traumatic brain injuries primarily occur when the brain is:
- Struck by an object/hit with force;
- Penetrated;
- Deprived of oxygen; or
- Shaken violently, colliding with the sides of the skull.
  Because each type of brain injury is different, the effects of a traumatic brain injury differ as well. Still, a traumatic brain injury can have an impact on one’s thinking, emotions, language, and sensation. Some traumatic brain injuries are more severe than others, with many people never making a full recovery.
Spinal cord injuries. One of the most terrible injuries is a spinal cord injury, which is an injury that occurs when a person’s spinal cord–which runs the length of the spinal column and is responsible for sending messages from the brain to the rest of the body–is impacted. A spinal cord injury results in an impairment of the brain’s ability to communicate with the rest of the body, leading to paralysis or partial paralysis from the site of the injury downwards. Tragically, spinal cord injuries are permanent; there is currently no cure for these injury types.
Skull injuries. The skull is extremely durable; it’s primary job is to protect the brain. However, if the head is hit with enough force, a serious skull fracture may occur. Not only can a skull fracture be accompanied by a traumatic brain injury, but skull fractures often injure arteries and veins, which can then cause bleeding in surrounding brain tissue. This can be extremely dangerous, and even deadly.
Spine injuries. The most significant spine injury is a spine fracture. If the spine is fractured, one of the vertebrae that helps to form the shape of the spine may be damaged, which can lead to a spinal cord injury. Even if the spinal cord is not impaired, a fractured spine can be a debilitating injury that results in limited mobility and opportunities.

While the term “catastrophic injury” usually refers to one of the injury types above, we recognize that there are other injury types that can be equally as traumatic and catastrophic. At the office of Taylor Martino, we also represent burn injury victims, amputation/loss of (use of) limb victims, and other accident victims who have been severely harmed.

If you have suffered a catastrophic injury, you will no doubt inevitably experience a major change in your life. Indeed, your injury may result in:

Pain, suffering, and psychological harm

Catastrophic injuries lead to physical pain, but aren’t purely physical – they can have psychological effects too. It is not uncommon for a person who has suffered a severe injury to develop post-traumatic stress disorder, anxiety, or severe depression following the event.

High medical bills

A serious injury can have a major impact on your financial well-being, and you may find yourself facing hundreds of thousands of dollars in medical bills. Even if you have health insurance, you may learn that there are certain treatments and therapies, as well as additional expenses, that your insurance won’t cover.

An inability to work and lost wages

Those who suffer catastrophic injuries are unable to return to work immediately, and may even be permanently impeded from earning an income. This only adds to the psychological distress and financial woes that a person is already experienced.

Loss of quality of life

Loss of quality of life is hard to quantify, but it can be described as a loss of the ability to do the things that a person once loved, like go for a jog through the park or spend a day on the water; the loss of future opportunities (many people who suffer catastrophic injuries must come to terms with their physical limitations); and even diminished quality of relationships and intimacy.

Your Rights If You Have Been Catastrophically Injured

If you have suffered a catastrophic injury in Alabama, and this injury was caused by the fault of another person, you have the right to seek the full value of your damages from the at-fault party. This means that you have the right to file a claim with the responsible party’s insurance, or file a lawsuit for compensation directly against the at-fault driver. What’s more, you can seek compensation for your economic and non-economic damages. This means that you can recover compensation for all your actual monetary losses, as well as intangible losses and future losses, such as the value of your pain and suffering or loss of quality of life.

Our Catastrophic Injury Lawyers Want to Help You

Our attorneys know that there is nothing that can be done to truly compensate you for what you’ve gone through; no one should ever have to experience something so traumatic as a catastrophic injury, especially when the injury results through no fault of their own. If you have been injured and feel lost and confused about what to do next, we can help. Our talented catastrophic injury lawyers care about you and making sure that you are compensated for your injuries, and know what it takes to get you the settlement you deserve.

To schedule a free, no-obligation consultation with our law firm today, please call us as soon as possible at 1-800-256-7728. You can also send us a message or visit our Mobile location in person today!