While there is no specific law in Texas describing what catastrophic injuries are, Texas Penal Code outlines what the state considers serious bodily injury. It covers any injury resulting in permanent disfigurement or the loss of function for any body part or organ. Put more clearly, catastrophic (serious bodily) injuries meet the following conditions:
- Permanent disability
- Require extensive, typically constant, care
- Reduce victims’ quality of life
- Have debilitating symptoms
- Require lengthy, difficult recoveries, if recovery is possible at all
…bodily injury that creates a substantial risk of death or that causes death, serious permanent disfigurement, or protracted loss or impairment of the function of any bodily member or organ
Examples of Types of Catastrophic Injuries
Examples of Types of Catastrophic InjuriesCatastrophic injuries can affect any part of the body. Examples of catastrophic injuries include:
- Severe burn injuries
- Amputations
- Traumatic brain injuries
- Loss of reproductive function
- Spinal cord injuries
- Organ damage
- Loss of sight or hearing
- Brain Damage and TBI
Catastrophic Injury Cases: Victims Have Legal Options in Texas
Though the consequences of severe injuries are life-changing, victims are not without hope or without legal recourse. You can rely on your family and friends for emotional support and on a skilled injury lawyer for legal support to seek the compensation you require.
Victims with catastrophic injuries often see dramatic changes in their ability to work, have children, support their families, and enjoy previous activities.
Seeking financial compensation from those to blame is one way to make these drastic changes more comfortable and easier. One way to do this is through filing a personal injury claim, which we discuss next.
Filing a Claim for Compensation
Depending on the situation, you may be able to file a catastrophic injury claim against those responsible for your injuries. You may also be able to file a civil personal injury lawsuit if the insurance policy does not provide enough compensation.
Most people are unprepared for all the ways their lives will be impacted. In addition to the physical injuries and emotional aspects, you may need to spend days and weeks filing for assistance programs if you become blind, lose the use of your arms or legs, or become cognitively impaired.
Victims of catastrophic injuries in Texas can seek both types of personal injury damages, economic and non-economic damages. You may also be able to request punitive damages, depending on the circumstances of their case.
