In a split second, an accident can irreversibly change the course of someone's life. Whether an injury is caused in a car crash, work accident, sudden fall, or another type of accident, it is likely to have a profound impact on the victim. This is especially true of catastrophic injuries that result in permanent disability. Someone who is permanently disabled in an accident may be unable to fulfill the career plans he or she intended.

Individuals who suffer severe injuries that impact their ability to earn a living may be entitled to compensation for lost earning capacity. Read on to learn more.

Reduced Earning Capacity Caused by a Catastrophic Injury

Personal injury claims are used to pursue financial reimbursement for damages. Lost income and lost earning capacity are two categories of damages that are common in catastrophic injury cases. Lost income or lost wages refers to the income a person misses out on while he or she is recovering from an injury. Lost earning capacity, on the other hand, refers to the loss of a person's ability to earn an income.

Car accidents, falling, and countless other forms of trauma can cause someone to suffer a traumatic brain injury. Traumatic brain injuries (TBI) can have long-lasting, significant consequences. Physical, mental, and psychological symptoms of TBI can exist for months or years after an injury.  Fortunately, new treatment options may provide brain injury victims the relief they desperately need.

Treating Traumatic Brain Injuries

If you or a loved one suffered a brain injury in a car crash or other incident, you know just how far-reaching the effects can be. Many people are left with painful headaches, dizziness, vomiting, and hearing and vision impairment. Others suffer from cognitive impairments that reduce their ability to concentrate, pay attention, or remember past events. Severe TBIs can cause seizures, slurred speech, constant fatigue, and problems sleeping. Psychological problems, including depression and anxiety, may also be caused or worsened by brain trauma.

Fortunately, experts are constantly looking for better ways to treat TBIs and reduce these symptoms. Surgery may be used to remove hematomas and relieve pressure inside of the skull shortly after a TBI. Medicines including anticonvulsants and muscle relaxants may be used to mitigate convulsions and seizures. Antidepressant medicine and anti-anxiety medicine may help lessen the psychological effects of TBI. Doctors are even testing the use of ADHD medication in TBI sufferers with the hope of combatting fatigue and brain fog.

Compared to something like a car accident, a fall may not seem likely to cause severe injuries. Certainly, many people are able to escape from a fall with no injuries or only minor scrapes, bruises, and sprains. However, there are times when fall injuries can have much more serious consequences, sometimes affecting a person for the rest of their life. If you or a loved one has suffered a catastrophic, life-altering injury in a fall, an experienced personal injury attorney may be able to help you recover substantial compensation.

Common Factors in Severe Fall Injuries

Depending on how a person lands, any fall could result in serious injuries. However, severe injuries tend to be more common in situations involving:

• Falls from heights - The greater the distance of the fall, the greater potential there is for a catastrophic injury. Serious injuries are common when a person falls down stairs, from an upper story of a building, or from a ladder or scaffolding on a work site.
• Older injury victims - Even a simple slip and fall can lead to serious injuries for an elderly person because of their reduced muscle and bone strength, and those who do suffer injuries often take much longer to recover.

Some catastrophic injuries that may result from a fall include:

Your brain is one of the most valuable and important organs in your body. It is literally what keeps you alive. Sustaining an injury to the brain can cause much pain and suffering for you and unnecessary worrying and stress for your family. Traumatic brain injuries, also referred to as TBIs, can even end up causing symptoms that last for years or even the rest of your life. If you have sustained a brain injury from any type of accident, you should speak with an Illinois catastrophic injury lawyer to discuss your options for compensation.

Causes of Traumatic Brain Injuries

A TBI occurs when the brain suffers injuries from a violent blow, jolt, or bump to the head and can range in severity from mild to severe. There are various ways a person can sustain a traumatic brain injury. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), falls were the leading cause of TBIs and accounted for nearly half of all emergency room visits in 2014. Falls are also the leading cause of hospitalizations for TBIs, with motor vehicle accidents a close second.

Symptoms to Watch Out For

There are various symptoms that you may experience if you have sustained a TBI, both physical and psychological. Some symptoms can manifest right away or within a few days, while other symptoms might take weeks or even months to appear. The severity of the symptoms also depends on the severity of the injury. For most TBIs, symptoms to look for include:

If an accident victim suffers a spinal cord injury, brain injury, or broken neck, he or she may be left with partial or full paralysis. Waking up in a hospital room and realizing that you are paralyzed is one of the most terrifying experiences that a person can go through. Paralysis victims often require a tremendous amount of medical care and attention and are unable to complete work tasks and daily responsibilities. This can lead to a heavy financial burden. Through a personal injury lawsuit, a paralysis victim may be awarded financial compensation for the damages caused by his or her paralysis.

When is a Successful Paralysis Injury Lawsuit Possible?

Paraplegia, quadriplegia, and other forms of paralysis are often caused by motor vehicle accidents. Work accidents, falling, and physical violence may also lead to paralyzing injuries. Whatever the cause of the paralysis, a successful paralysis injury lawsuit requires the same basic components as other injury lawsuits:

• Duty – The defendant had a duty to exercise reasonable care.
• Breach of duty – The defendant breached or violated the duty of care.
• Causation – The defendant’s actions or lack of action caused the plaintiff’s injuries.
• Damages – The plaintiff suffered damages because of his or her injuries.

Often, one of the hardest parts of a personal injury claim is identifying who is liable for the injury. For example, many catastrophic motor vehicle collisions involve several different vehicles and multiple liable parties. A skilled personal injury lawyer can identify who is liable for damages and pursue compensation for those damages.