What are Catastrophic Injuries?
Catastrophic injury settlements in Ontario can be very different from non-catastrophic injury settlements. Both types of claims can require thorough investigation and rely on medical records. The difference between these types of claims is their severity.
Catastrophic injury compensation is often higher given these injuries can take a lifetime to treat or cure.
If you have suffered a devastating injury, getting help to understand the nature of catastrophic injury compensation in Ontario can be very helpful to you.
What makes up these claims and how a lawyer can help resolve them?
Understanding Settlements For Catastrophic Injury in Ontario
In Ontario, according to the legal definition, catastrophic injury is a severe injury to the brain, spine or spinal cord, and may also involve fractures of the skull or spinal column. Catastrophic injuries are a direct consequence of a violent trauma or from complications with the original injury.
Catastrophic injuries are typically those that have long-term or permanent repercussions. These injuries are severe, often limiting your ability to meet your day-to-day needs or maintain employment.
Types of Catastrophic Injuries
Any serious injury could qualify as a catastrophic injury. However, there are four major categories of injuries that are usually considered catastrophic. These include:
- Severe Burns – Not all burns are catastrophic. Burn wounds fall into four different types of injuries, known as degrees. First-degree burns are minor wounds that heal in a matter of days. Severe burns in the third or fourth degree could lead to permanent nerve damage, scarring, or death.
- Spinal Injuries – Spinal cord injuries are typically severe. The spinal cord is vital in allowing the brain to control the rest of your body, and it transmits the stimulus from items touching your skin back to your brain.
- Paralysis – Paralysis is a catastrophic injury that is often tied to spinal cord damage. An injury to the head or neck could lead to permanent or long-term paralysis. This condition involves loss of feeling or motor control in a particular body part. Paralysis can even impact a single arm or leg based on pinched or damaged nerves.
- Traumatic Brain Injuries – Traumatic brain injuries are one of the more complex forms of catastrophic injury. These injuries occur when a significant force impacts the head, causing damage to the brain. This could result from blunt for trauma or even a penetrating brain injury. It can be difficult to identify the symptoms of a traumatic brain injury at first, as some symptoms are slow to become noticeable. Brain injuries can cause tremors, headaches, personality changes, and nausea.
Compensation Available in a Catastrophic Injury Settlement in Ontario
Any of these catastrophic injuries has the potential to result in a substantial financial payout. Treating these injuries is costly, and the emotional and physical repercussions can change your quality of life forever.
Medical bills are typically the largest portion of a catastrophic injury claim. These bills start with the cost of emergency room treatment but can expand to years’ worth of physical therapy or other treatment. This could also include the cost of any necessary medical devices.
Many catastrophic injuries result in a lifetime of physical pain. In some cases, you could come be entitled to monetary compensation for the physical pain and suffering resulting from your catastrophic injury. The more severe an injury, the higher a pain and suffering settlement might be.
If your injuries cause you to miss significant time away from work, you might be entitled to damages for your lost wages. This could include compensation for wages you missed prior to filing lawsuit as well as compensation you could miss out on in the future.
Have you or a loved one experienced a catastrophic injury in Ontario? If your injury resulted from another person’s negligence, catastrophic injury settlements could result in significant compensation.
