Catastrophic Injury Claims
A catastrophic injury critically affects your ability to work and take care of your home and family. Your medical and rehabilitative costs will be extremely high, and you may require modifications to your home and vehicles as well. In Ontario, having your injury labelled “catastrophic” means that the upper limit of accident benefits you can claim is significantly higher than for non-catastrophic injuries.
If you have been seriously injured, talk to our catastrophic injury lawyers quickly. Because the limit for benefits is so much higher, many insurance companies are reluctant to classify an injury as catastrophic and may try to persuade you to make statements or sign documents about your injury that will make it possible to label it non-catastrophic. Doing so could cause you serious difficulties in the future if your injury turns out to be more serious than expected. You could be denied benefits when you need them most.
The Definition of “Catastrophic”
In general, injuries are designated catastrophic if they involve:
- Severe spinal cord injury resulting in paraplegia or quadriplegia;
- Amputation;
- Permanent impairment of limbs;
- Blindness;
- Head trauma or traumatic brain injury (TBI) resulting in certain kinds of brain damage or psychological injury; and
- Lifelong debilitating changes to physical and mental abilities.
Some injuries, such as herniated discs, may not seem catastrophic at first, but may worsen over time or fail to resolve as expected. In order to protect yourself, it’s important to speak to us as soon as possible, before speaking to representatives from your insurance company or the other party’s.
Our lawyers will help you and your family members give notice to your insurance company and file for benefits, without missing any deadlines. We can help you avoid a number of pitfalls to ensure that your claim is processed quickly and in your favour. If your insurance company denies any of your claims, we can appeal their decisions and force them to reconsider.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does it mean if an injury is labelled “catastrophic”?
In Ontario, having your injury labelled “catastrophic” means that the upper limit of accident benefits you can claim is significantly higher than for non-catastrophic injuries.
What types of injuries may be designated catastrophic?
In general, injuries are designated catastrophic if they involve severe spinal cord injury resulting in paraplegia or quadriplegia, amputation, permanent impairment of limbs, blindness, head trauma or traumatic brain injury resulting in certain kinds of brain damage or psychological injury, and lifelong debilitating changes to physical and mental abilities.
Contact Rochon Genova
Call Rochon Genova at 416-363-1867 or send us an email to set up a free consultation.
