What is a catastrophic injury under Georgia workers’ compensation law?
By Ben Sessions on June 5th, 2023 in
Under Georgia workers’ compensation law, injuries are classified as catastrophic or non-catastrophic. The classification of an injury as catastrophic can make a significant difference in the benefits that you or a loved one are entitled to received.
A catastrophic injury is defined under the Georgia workers’ compensation law as:
- A spinal cord injury involving severe paralysis of an arm, a leg, or the trunk of the worker’s body;
- Amputation of an arm, hand, foot, or leg resulting in loss of use of that appendage;
- Severe brain or closed head injury resulting in (a) severe sensory or motor disturbances; (b) severe communication disturbances; (c) severe complex integrated disturbances of cerebral function; (d) severe disturbances of consciousness; (e) severe episodic neurological disorders; or (f) other conditions at least as severe in nature as any condition provided in subparagraphs (a) through (e) of this paragraph;
- Second or third degree burns over 25 percent of the body as a whole or third degree burns to 5 percent or more of the face or hands;
- Total or industrial blindness; or
- Any other injury of a nature and severity that prevents the employee from being able to perform his or her prior work and any work available in substantial numbers within the national economy for which such employee is otherwise qualified.
O.C.G.A. § 34-9-200.1.
