MAIN Home Legal Guide Personal Injury Catastrophic Injuries

"Catastrophic" refers to any devastating injury that may take years of treatment or rehabilitation, or that otherwise may have serious long-term effects on victims and their families.

Years of medical bills or constant surgeries, emotional strain and loss of income are just a few of the issues that victims may have to deal with throughout the rest of their lives.

If the injury is caused by medical malpractice, a faulty product such as playground equipment or a defective car, for example, victims who may be able to prove negligence can sue for compensation. Some of the more typical cases of catastrophic injury include:

• Brain injuries
• Spinal cord injuries
• Broken limbs or accidental amputation
• Severe burns
• Organ damage
• Mass trauma (i.e., train or airplane crashes)

Many of these injuries require not only immediate attention, but often require a complex course of treatment (including expert after care) by a medical team including surgeons, doctors, nurses, therapists, family counselors or psychotherapists.

Individuals or companies often face paying huge compensatory damages to victims of their negligence or carelessness. Therefore, a jury trial in catastrophic or personal injury cases is often long and embattled.

The first goal for victims, therefore, is to find a personal injury lawyer with experience in catastrophic injury, and who recognizes the long-term financial burden that their clients face, sometimes for the rest of their lives. In addition to professional expertise in the courtroom, a good personal injury lawyer can also advise victims on other available compensation from local or federal resources.

Around the Web, learn more about catastrophic injury law and what is entails, including expert tips on how to launch a suing case and recover monetary damages after a serious injury caused by negligence....

also see -> Auto accidents | Class action lawsuits

Disability | Medical malpractice | Mesothelioma information

More about catastrophic injuries & legal resources around the Web:

Mass Disaster - A Victims Guide- FindLaw guide with discussions on when to call a lawyer and how to seek compensation for aircraft crashes, train derailments, or natural disasters.

Burn Survivor - Your Legal Rights - Information on when to seek legal redress for personal injury, with related resources and health recovery guides.

Spinal Cord Injury - Liability And Your Rights - Extensive guide to legal rights and examples of typical accident cases involving faulty sports equipment, car crashes and related injuries.

Paralyzed Veterans of America - Legal Issues - Information on financial help and legal support for members of the armed forces, with related resources.

The information provided on these pages is intended as reference
only and does not constitute professional legal advice.