What Injuries Are the Most Serious or Catastrophic?

burned hand wrapped in gauzeWhen you sustain an injury, it’s a big deal regardless of the severity of the damage you sustained. However, in the area of personal injury law and the pursuit of justice and compensation, some injuries are considered more serious than others, and they’re labeled as catastrophic.

These injuries are often associated with long-term damages and can leave the victim with lifelong needs for medical care and other treatments. Unfortunately, they’re far too common and those who sustain catastrophic injuries need legal help to pursue justice after this kind of situation.

Recognizing what types of injuries are considered catastrophic can help you better understand your legal rights and what you’re able to do to hold the negligent party accountable. Here are some of the most catastrophic injuries that you may sustain:

If you’ve been catastrophically injured due to negligence, call our firm today at (215) 866-2424.

To learn more about the different types of catastrophic injuries, read on below.

Traumatic Brain Injuries

One of the most catastrophic types of injuries that can occur is a traumatic brain injury. These often result in long-term damages and can leave the injured party with significant side effects they must endure over the course of their life.

Brain injuries can have a significant impact on numerous functions, including the following:

  • Short-term memory loss: Even the mildest type of brain injury (concussions) can result in the injured party experiencing short-term memory loss.
  • Cognitive damages: Cognitive functions such as attention, reasoning, language, and memory can be significantly damaged when someone suffers a brain injury. This is often the cause of loss of focus and more.
  • Behavioral changes: Mood swings and behavioral issues can be a serious side effect after a brain injury. Some of the various moods can include agitation, sadness, depression, and anger.
  • Loss of balance: Brain injuries can make it difficult for the injured party to maintain their balance and have trouble with coordination.
  • Degenerative conditions: Suffering a traumatic brain injury can increase the potential of developing degenerative conditions, as well as the chances of having a stroke or seizure.

Traumatic brain injuries vary in severity, all having some sort of impact on the injured individual. The most severe TBIs can lead to a coma, which can result in the injured party being placed on life support and facing potentially fatal effects.

Traumatic brain injuries can range from mild to severe, and there are numerous types of testing that should be done to determine just how serious the TBI is. This can include MRIs, Glasgow Coma Scale, and more.

Spinal Cord and Neck Injuries

When a car accident (specifically rear-end collisions), slip and fall, or other accident occurs involving the victim suffering an injury to their back or neck, it has the potential to be catastrophic. Whiplash and other injuries to the neck can leave the spinal cord damaged, which is often associated with long-term problems, or even worse, paralysis.

It is these types of injuries that can result in the injured party being unable to use some or all of their extremities, being confined to a wheelchair, and losing the enjoyment in their life. Unfortunately, they are common as roughly 12,000 new cases of spinal cord injuries are recorded each year in the United States.

Overall, car wrecks, falls, and acts of violence are the most common causes of these types of injuries. It is estimated that in the United States, there are anywhere between 229,000 and 306,000 people living with some form of spinal cord injury.

When someone suffers a spinal cord or neck injury due to negligence, they may need to seek damages for the pain and suffering, medical bills, and lost wages, as well as any transformations to their home or vehicle needed to make living with their injuries easier.

Broken Bones

Not all broken bones are the same, and there are some that are more impactful and take longer to heal than others. Some may be considered catastrophic when the injured party is left to deal with the impact for an extended period of time.

Some of the most damaging broken bone injuries can involve:

  • Broken ribs
  • Broken sternum
  • Broken back
  • Broken neck
  • Broken pelvis

These types of injuries can be enough to require significant physical therapy and multiple surgeries to recover fully.

Internal Organ Damage

There are some incidents that can result in an individual sustaining internal damage to vital organs. These types of injuries can occur in car collisions, slip and falls, and even as a result of medical malpractice when a doctor either performs surgery on the wrong patient or wrong body part, or prescription errors occur.

For instance, certain medications can counteract with others, and if the medical professional fails to consider this when prescribing a new medication to a patient, the adverse reactions can be catastrophic. Furthermore, a car accident can cause damage to an organ and internal bleeding may be a possibility.

If the injured victim suffers from internal bleeding and it is not treated in a timely manner, this type of damage can be fatal. Similarly, when the injured internal organ is one that provides vital resources for the life of the victim, it can also have a significant or fatal impact on the injured party.


There are several situations that may result in an injured party suffering an amputation. While amputation is technically the loss of a limb, some actions may result in a severed limb and it can cause long-term trauma and emotional damage.

Amputations can occur in something like a car wreck, but it may also occur as a result of a cancerous tumor in the individual’s bone or muscle, or because of a serious infection.

When an amputation is caused by someone else’s negligence, the injured party may have the right to take legal action. This can include seeking compensation for the medical treatment and lost income, as well as any necessary medical equipment.

How Our Philadelphia Catastrophic Injury Attorneys Can Help

If you have suffered an injury because of someone else’s actions, you deserve to have your rights protected by skilled and knowledgeable legal counsel. Our team works hard on your behalf because you need compensation—and even more importantly, you need justice.

At The Beasley Firm, it is imperative that we put the rights of our clients first. You are in a difficult position, dealing with the physical, emotional, and financial troubles of suffering a catastrophic injury. We’re committed to handling the legal matters, so you can focus on your recovery.

With our Philadelphia catastrophic injury lawyers on your side, you can feel peace of mind knowing that we’re looking out for your best interests. As such, we aim to go the extra mile in an effort to protect you and your rights to justice. You deserve experience. You deserve care. And that’s exactly what we’ll provide every step of the way.

To setup a free consultation with a lawyer and discuss the potential aspects of a case, we encourage you to call our firm at (215) 866-2424. We’re here to answer any questions you may have and help you find confidence at this time. Trust us to help.


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