You may have injuries caused by the negligent actions of someone else. Thus, you might be preparing to file a personal injury case. However, before you do, you should take some time to consider if you’re filing the right type of claim.

The injury might be so serious that it falls under the catastrophic injury category. Alternatively, it may be a personal injury. Either way, getting legal help with your case can be beneficial. The legal team at Michael T. Gibson, P.A., Auto Justice Attorney can handle your catastrophic injury case. Keep reading to learn the main differences between catastrophic and personal injury.

1. Severity of Injury

Catastrophic injuries are severe and cause the victim to make lifestyle changes. If an injury keeps you from working permanently, it’s likely catastrophic. Such injuries also prevent victims from living independently. The plaintiff usually requires assistance from caregivers to perform daily tasks. Common examples of catastrophic injuries include:

• Injuries leading to paralysis
• Serious burn injuries
• Loss of a limb
• Loss of sight and hearing
• Traumatic brain injury

On the other hand, personal injuries aren’t as severe as catastrophic injuries. They usually occur because of someone’s negligence. Examples of injuries are whiplash, lacerations, sprains, and broken bones.

A common feature of personal injuries is that the victim typically makes a full recovery. However, with a catastrophic injury, you may attain maximum medical improvement without getting back your pre-accident abilities.

2. Amount of Compensation

Various factors affect how much compensation you’ll receive after your accident. Among them is the severity of the injury. As mentioned above, catastrophic injuries are more severe than personal injuries. So, you’re likely to recover more compensation for a catastrophic injury than a personal injury.

The reasoning behind that is catastrophic injuries usually lead to more losses. Thus, you’ll need more compensation to cover those losses.

There’s a downside to getting more compensation in catastrophic injury claims. Insurance companies don’t like paying expensive claims. So, a catastrophic injury claim may meet a strong defense. However, a lawyer can help defend your case.

3. Damages

Both personal and catastrophic injuries are serious matters. In both cases, the plaintiff may receive economic and non-economic damages. With personal injury cases, the victim’s life may return to normal.

However, a catastrophic injury victim may not be so lucky. They will need to make costly adjustments to adapt to their new life. So, the damages in a catastrophic injury case may amount to more money. 

4. Recovery Time

Standard personal injuries may take weeks or months to heal. More severe catastrophic injuries might take years to get better. Sometimes, catastrophic injury victims never recover completely.

The time it takes to heal from an injury depends on the level of inflicted trauma. Catastrophic injuries result from significant trauma hence the long recovery time. Often, catastrophic injury victims require mental health care and medical intervention. This helps them heal from the emotional trauma resulting from an accident.

5. Repercussions of the Injury

• Catastrophic injury victims often sustain disabilities. Examples include:
• Occupational disability
• Sensory deficits
• Scarring and permanent disfigurement
• Cognitive disability

These disabilities affect how the plaintiff lives their lives. It may alter the entire course of the person’s life. For personal injury, the impacts aren’t usually long-term. The injury often heals completely, allowing the person to go on with their life.

6. Expert Testimony

Catastrophic injury claims are often complicated. Thus, you may need the help of many different expert witnesses to recover compensation. For example, a medical expert can shed light on various factors. These include the severity of the injury and duration of treatment.

An economic expert can help calculate the value of damages. A personal injury case may not require as many expert witnesses.

Final Words

Catastrophic and personal injuries have some significant differences. Generally, catastrophic injuries cause a permanent decline in your quality of life. No amount is going to restore your previous way of life. However, with personal injury, plaintiffs can make a complete recovery. Knowing the difference between the two will help you safeguard your rights.