Car and truck accidents often result in devastating harm like spinal cord damage and traumatic brain injuries. They are often considered catastrophic because they can severely impact the lives of crash victims.
Since suffering catastrophic injuries can qualify for significant financial compensation, it is important to understand other injuries that may fall into this category. Amputations and disfigurement are two examples.
Are they considered catastrophic in California?
In California, catastrophic injuries are those that result in long-term or permanent disabilities, significantly affecting a person’s ability to work and perform daily activities. Amputations and disfigurement fall under this category as they can lead to permanent physical and emotional challenges.
What are the potential expenses of catastrophic injuries?
The associated costs of suffering these injuries can be overwhelming. They include:
- Medical expenses: Costs for surgeries, hospital stays, medications, rehabilitation, assistant care, and necessary adaptive equipment.
- Lost wages: Both amputation and disfigurement can impact your earning capacity, resulting in lost or significantly reduced income.
- Ongoing treatments: Expenses involving follow-up surgeries, specialized medical equipment and frequent doctor visits.
- Rehabilitation and therapy: Costs for physical, occupational and speech therapy.
Your injuries may also require expensive home modifications to make living spaces accessible, and costly in-home care services for daily activities.
What damages are available to victims?
Victims of catastrophic injuries can seek both economic and non-economic damages in California. Economic damages cover medical expenses, lost wages and other financial losses. Also known as pain and suffering, non-economic damages compensate for ongoing suffering, emotional distress and loss of enjoyment of life.
Legal representation is typically crucial to help ensure that your accident claim reflects the true scope of your injuries and their potential long-term effects.