Personal Injury vs. Catastrophic Injury: What’s the Difference?

By Jackson Law Offices, P.C. October 19, 2017 4 min read

Injuries can vary greatly in severity and the impact they have on your life. Depending on the type of injury and how seriously you were injured, you may find yourself permanently or temporarily disabled. Injury claims tend to fall into two major categories: personal injury and catastrophic injury. The differences between personal injuries and catastrophic injuries can greatly affect your injury claim.

PERSONAL INJURY

Personal injuries can be serious, but they typically are temporary. Often, victims of personal injuries are able to make a complete or near-complete recovery. They should be able to return to work or their typical daily activities after their recovery and will have few or no lingering effects from their accident. Personal injuries can also include emotional injuries, such as depression, anxiety, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, and panic attacks.

CATASTROPHIC INJURIES

In severe accidents, victims may be injured in ways that will continue to affect them for the rest of their lives. Catastrophic injuries often are debilitating, and sufferers may never fully recover or return to their life as it was before the accident. These injuries are often expensive to treat and will require life-long treatment and accommodations.

Catastrophic injuries include:

Catastrophic injuries are often disabling and victims will be unable to return to work or work at their full capacity again. They may require accommodations for nearly every aspect of their lives and may be faced with the incredible expense of retrofitting their home, vehicle, and other areas of their life to suit their needs. If they are unable to return to their position at work, it is possible that these injured people may suffer serious financial harm, as well.


If you have been seriously injured in an accident, you deserve compensation that fully covers all your losses, including wages, medical expenses, and your pain and suffering. At M. Austin Jackson Attorney at Law, we are prepared to help you fight for just treatment and the damages you are owed. Our dedicated Augusta catastrophic injury attorneys are familiar with the difficulties you may face, and we will work tirelessly for your claim.

Injuries can vary greatly in severity and the impact they have on your life. Depending on the type of injury and how seriously you were injured, you may find yourself permanently or temporarily disabled. Injury claims tend to fall into two major categories: personal injury and catastrophic injury. The differences between personal injuries and catastrophic injuries can greatly affect your injury claim.

PERSONAL INJURY

Personal injuries can be serious, but they typically are temporary. Often, victims of personal injuries are able to make a complete or near-complete recovery. They should be able to return to work or their typical daily activities after their recovery, and will have few or no lingering effects from their accident. Personal injuries can also include emotional injuries, such as depression, anxiety, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, and panic attacks.

CATASTROPHIC INJURIES

In severe accidents, victims may be injured in ways that will continue to affect them for the rest of their lives. Catastrophic injuries often are debilitating, and sufferers may never fully recover or return to their life as it was before the accident. These injuries are often expensive to treat and will require life-long treatment and accommodations.

Catastrophic injuries include:

Catastrophic injuries are often disabling and victims will be unable to return to work or work at their full capacity again. They may require accommodations for nearly every aspect of their lives, and may be faced with the incredible expense of retrofitting their home, vehicle, and other areas of their life to suit their needs. If they are unable to return to their position at work, it is possible that these injured people may suffer serious financial harm, as well.


If you have been seriously injured in an accident, you deserve compensation that fully covers all your losses, including wages, medical expenses, and your pain and suffering. At Jackson Law Offices, P.C., we are prepared to help you fight for just treatment and the damages you are owed. Our dedicated Augustacatastrophic injury attorneys are familiar with the difficulties you may face, and we will work tirelessly for your claim.

Begin Your Path to Compensation

Our experienced team is here to advocate for you. In our first meeting, we’ll get to know your story, clearly explain your legal options, and help you make an informed decision on the right next step.