Most Common Causes of Catastrophic Injuries

An injury occurs and it’s quick for people to look past the initial shock and concern and focus directly on whatever injuries they may have sustained. While many accidents or incidents result in seemingly mild injuries, there are some situations in which catastrophic damage can occur.

Catastrophic injuries are those that are associated with lifelong damages and can leave the injured party disabled either temporarily or permanently. Unfortunately, there are several incidents in which these injuries can happen and, even worse, there are some matters of negligence that may be involved.

Recognizing the various causes of catastrophic injuries can help victims pursue the compensation they need when those injuries are cause by negligence. Here are some of the situations that can occur and lead to serious damages:

• Motor vehicle accidents
• Pedestrian accidents
• Slip and falls
• Medical malpractice
• Fires and explosions

To speak with a lawyer about your potential case, call our firm today.

Motor Vehicle Accidents

Motor vehicle accidents as a whole are the most common reasons someone sustains a serious catastrophic injury such as a traumatic brain injury, spine injury, burn, amputation, and more. This includes the following types of motor vehicle accidents:

• Multi-vehicle collisions: This is when there are multiple vehicles involve in the crash and can include rear-end, side swipe, head-on, and T-bone collisions. The impact of the crash can create impact between your head and the frame, dashboard, or other part of the vehicle, resulting in a serious brain injury.
• Truck accidents: These are some of the most dangerous types of accidents that can occur and often result in the severe injuries you’ve heard about in our blog regarding which injuries are most catastrophic. The large size of a commercial truck is enough to create havoc on the roads when negligence is involved.
• Motorcycle accidents: Without the frame that many motorists receive protection from on the road, many motorcyclists take to the road without much gear to keep them safe in the event of an accident. Even with a helmet, it’s possible for significant brain and neck injuries to occur as the motorcyclist is at risk of being ejected from a motorcycle in a crash.

Most of the auto accidents that occur are a result of someone else’s negligence, including drunk driving, distracted driving, and reckless driving.

Pedestrian Accidents

Much like with motorcycle accidents, pedestrians have nothing to protect them when a reckless driver collides with them. Many of the pedestrian accidents that occur are a result of high speeds, distracted driving, drunk driving, or simply actions in which the driver does not follow laws.

When a pedestrian is struck by a large vehicle, head and spine injuries can be sustained. The injured party may suffer long-term damage including brain damage or spinal cord injuries resulting in paralysis—either paraplegia or quadriplegia.

Many of the pedestrian accidents that occur are at intersections, where drivers should be stopping for traffic signals and signs. Failure to adhere to the laws because of distractions or pure negligence are often what lead to the driver striking the pedestrian.

Slip and Fall Accidents

When someone trips or slips and falls, it’s easy for gravity to take over and the individual who trips may land on their head, neck, or other part of their body. Unfortunately, there are many instances in which slip and falls can occur. It’s important to recognize the various situations in which these devastating accidents are most prevalent.

• Construction sites: Construction sites are some of the most common locations in which slip and falls happen. There are multiple areas where dangers arise, including tools on the ground, potential wires, and more. When more equipment is around, the injured party may hit their head, neck, or back on something, creating significant damage.
• Dangerous properties: Premises liability factors may come into play if you slip and fall on someone else’s property. This can include when staircases are broken, carpet is torn, or there is another problem that the owner of the property is aware of but they fail to fix it.
• Black ice: During the winter months, there is potential for black ice on the grounds. This is something that the property owner or even the city must take care of to keep pedestrians as safe as possible. If an individual slips on black ice, there are certain factors to determine if negligence is involved and who may be considered liable.

Medical Malpractice

While probably not as common as other negligence-related incidents on this list, when medical malpractice does happen, the results can be devastating. The most serious matters involving medical malpractice include performing operations on the wrong person, performing operations on the wrong body part, leaving an object inside of a patient, and misdiagnosis.

With medical malpractice, many of the injuries that can occur involve internal organ damage. This can lead to functionality problems, internal bleeding, and other problems. This is something that can also occur when medication errors occur.

Medications errors can also result in significant brain injuries.

Other acts of medical malpractice can include environmental errors, negligent patient care management, discharge errors, infections and contamination issues, and more.

Fires and Explosions

In certain industries, individuals work with flammable hazards on a daily basis. Regardless of how safe you may feel you are when at work or even as a patron at a restaurant, there are serious problems that can arise as a result of another person’s negligence that can cause a fire, explosion, or other potential cause of a burn injury.

For instance, in a restaurant, if you are a patron and the waiter or waitress spills hot soup or another liquid on you, a burn injury can be the result. It may be looked at to determine if there was negligence involved and if the person responsible for the injury can be held accountable.

Similarly, in a setting such as plant or refinery, where explosions can occur, it is imperative for all workers to be safe. Unfortunately, when they’re not, they can cause significant harm.

At The Beasley Firm, we understand how catastrophic injuries can result in long-term damages, extensive medical bills, lost income from being unable to work, the need for medical care and equipment, and more. You need to take legal action against whoever caused the accident and the subsequent injuries.

Our Philadelphia catastrophic injury attorneys are committed to helping you in your time of need. We have handled countless matters involving catastrophic injuries and we know what is needed to help individuals pursue the justice they deserve against the party responsible for causing significant harm.

When someone else is responsible for your injuries, we’ll work to compile the necessary evidence and resources to put your best interests first and create a strong case strategy on your behalf. Trust that we go the extra mile to pursue the most favorable outcome because you deserve it.

For a free consultation of your potential case and to learn more about what options you may have to seek compensation, call our firm. We’re fully committed to your rights and needs.