While all Georgia car accidents hold the potential to cause serious injuries, some of them result in catastrophic ones. These types of injuries occur suddenly and create life-altering impacts.
Catastrophic injury definition
More than 1500 fatalities occur in Georgia every year due to motor vehicle accidents. Non-fatal car accident injuries meet the definition of catastrophic if they cause at least one of the following:
- Permanent disability
- Inability to return to work
- Affects at least one major bodily system
- Incapacitates you in some way
Examples of catastrophic injuries
The type of catastrophic injury you sustain depends on what the type of accident. Many front and side impacts result in severe abdominal injuries, while rear-end crashes often result in head and spinal cord injuries.
These types of catastrophic injuries frequently occur from car accidents:
- Skull fractures
- Spinal cord injuries
- Paralysis
- Amputation
- Loss of your senses
- Brain injuries
- Organ damage
- Burns
Types and causes of catastrophic motor vehicle accidents
While some motor vehicle accidents cause only minor injuries, other types of vehicle accidents cause much more severe injuries. The most common types of motor vehicle accidents that cause catastrophic injuries include:
- Multi-vehicle crashes
- Motorcycle accidents
- Accidents involving trucks
- Collisions involving pedestrians
The most common causes of these accidents include:
- Driving under the influence
- Reckless driving
- Distracted driving
Pursuit of damages
Since catastrophic injuries affect your life so severely, the law offers legal options to pursue compensation if someone else caused the accident. These types of lawsuits typically seek compensation for any of the following:
- Lost wages and earnings
- Pain and suffering
- Loss of companion
- Cost of rehab or other medical treatments
- Vehicle loss
Permanent life changes
Part of surviving a car accident with a catastrophic injury involves facing a permanent change in your life. Both you and your family may face serious medical, financial and other losses due to your accident.