Depending on your job, you may grow accustomed to minor cuts and bruises. What happens when you have to deal with a far more serious injury? Some of the worst damage to the body is the kind that lingers and leaves you with permanent repercussions.
A catastrophic work injury may change the way you live. Whether that change is minor or major depends on the type of damage you are dealing with.
Did you fracture a bone?
Bone breaks happen. While most allow you to recover over months, other fractures may take longer and leave you with lasting damage. For example, a compound fracture requiring surgery is much more likely to leave you with a lingering measure of impairment versus a fissure that does not separate the bone. The higher and more permanent compound fracture is where the bone rips through the skin, allowing bacteria to enter the body and leave you with possible life-threatening consequences.
Did you receive a blow to the head?
Head injuries have consequences that may prove difficult to pinpoint in the immediate aftermath. Since the brain is the organ responsible for all other body movements and functions, damage to any part of it can manifest in other areas of the body. Common catastrophic consequences of a head injury include:
- Change in personality
- Impairment of speech
- Lost memories or chunks of time
- Loss of consciousness/coma
Other body parts may incur catastrophic damage, such as the skin if you suffer a burn or the spinal cord, which may leave you with paralysis. Catastrophic injuries require a lifetime of medical care, so getting assistance with attending to your needs is critical.