If a loved one has been in a serious car crash or other type of catastrophic event, you may hear doctors use the word “polytrauma.” You may even hear them talk about “complex polytrauma.”
Polytrauma is when a person suffers multiple traumatic injuries to more than one part of their body during one incident. Complex polytrauma typically refers to multiple traumatic injuries to different organ systems.
Types of polytraumatic injuries
Polytrauma is one of the leading causes of death in the U.S. for people of all ages. If these injuries aren’t fatal, they can result in long-term or permanent disability and medical issues that can last a lifetime. They can include:
- Traumatic brain injuries (TBIs)
- Amputations
- Burns
- Spinal cord injuries and paralysis
- Burns
- Loss of vision and/or sight
It’s not uncommon for victims of polytrauma to suffer mental health issues – often caused by the events surrounding their injuries – like post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). They may suffer cognitive issues – either temporarily or permanently – associated with a TBI.
Long-term, extensive treatment and rehabilitation are typically required
Typically, people who appear to have suffered polytraumatic injuries (for example, in a car crash, fall or attack) are taken by first responders to a Level 1 trauma center. The professionals in these facilities are trained to handle a variety of injuries and work to stabilize victims so they don’t succumb to their injuries.
After this emergency care, they often have a long recovery ahead of them. It may include multiple surgeries and hospitalizations, time in a rehabilitation facility and ongoing physical and occupational therapy. Psychological treatment may be required as well and be necessary to get a patient into the right frame of mind to deal with all of this and, of course, to process what happened to them.
Since the immediate medical expenses can be overwhelming, families may feel like they need to accept the first offer they get from an at-fault party’s insurer. However, it’s critical not to settle until you know the full extent of the expenses and lost wages. You want the settlement you and your loved one deserve – and you might have to fight for it. That’s why getting sound legal guidance as soon as possible is essential.
