Such injuries are often work-related, and others occur randomly during daily routines. It’s the ones that are occupation-related that may result in workers’ compensation claims. As for what makes an injury “catastrophic,” the resulting damage usually affects the central nervous system enough to cause some type of impairment or symptoms that can be debilitating and distracting. In the workplace, an injury of this nature can occur from a sudden fall that results in a spinal cord injury, a collision with equipment that causes severe head trauma, or an explosion that results in severe burns or exposure to toxic fumes or hazardous chemicals. A Commonly experienced catastrophic injury include and may involve: