What Makes an Injury ‘Catastrophic’ and Why It Changes Everything in Court

Not all injuries are created equal. A sprained wrist from a car accident is painful, but with proper treatment, life goes back to normal.

A spinal cord injury, traumatic brain damage, or loss of a limb, however, is a completely different story.

These are considered catastrophic injuries: life-altering events that fundamentally change how you live, work, and interact with the world.

At Mainor Ellis Injury Lawyers, we help victims of catastrophic injuries fight for the full compensation they deserve. These cases are far more complex than standard personal injury claims in every aspect: legally, medically, and financially.

Defining a Catastrophic Injury Under Nevada Law

While Nevada statutes don’t provide a single, all-encompassing definition, catastrophic injuries are generally those that result in long-term or permanent disability, disfigurement, or loss of bodily function. They often include:

Spinal cord injuries leading to paralysis
Traumatic brain injuries (TBIs) causing cognitive or behavioral changes
Amputations or loss of limb function
Severe burns that result in disfigurement or require ongoing surgeries
Multiple organ damage or internal injuries requiring lifelong medical care
Loss of sight or hearing
Severe orthopedic injuries that permanently limit mobility

These injuries don’t just heal over time. They reshape every aspect of a person’s life physically, emotionally, socially, and financially.

How Catastrophic Injuries Transform a Legal Case

When an injury is catastrophic, the entire legal landscape changes. Here’s how:

The stakes are much higher. The average personal injury claim focuses on immediate medical bills, lost wages, and temporary pain and suffering. A catastrophic injury case, by contrast, often involves millions of dollars in potential damages. This includes not just current expenses, but decades of future care, lost earning potential, and the profound impact on quality of life.
Future damages become central. With catastrophic injuries, courts and juries must consider lifetime costs. These may include ongoing surgeries, rehabilitation, and specialist care, in-home medical assistance or nursing care, wheelchairs, prosthetics, and many more.
Non-economic damages are more significant. Catastrophic injuries don’t just hurt physically; they often rob victims of their independence, hobbies, careers, relationships, and self-esteem. Nevada law allows for significant compensation for these non-economic damages.
Punitive damages may come into play. If the defendant’s conduct was especially reckless (e.g., drunk driving, violating safety regulations, or knowingly using defective products), Nevada courts may award punitive damages under NRS 42.005.

Catastrophic injury litigation is not like a standard personal injury claim. These cases usually require extensive medical documentation and expert testimony, life care planning to calculate future costs, aggressive negotiation with insurers, and readiness to go to trial.

Our Las Vegas catastrophic injury lawyers at Mainor Ellis Injury Lawyers, we handle every aspect of these complex cases so you can focus on recovery. Our team works with leading medical and economic experts to ensure no cost and no consequence is overlooked.

Get the Support and Attention You Deserve

At Mainor Ellis Injury Lawyers, we fight to make sure the people responsible for your injury pay. Contact us today for a free consultation. We’ll explain your rights, investigate your case, and pursue every dollar you deserve. Call at 702-450-5000 to set up a time to talk.

Source:

leg.state.nv.us/nrs/nrs-042.html