When something is lost, in some cases there are always chances of getting it back if there is careful retracing. The same is applicable to bitcoin. Someone can lose access to their holdings today and still regain access to them again in times to come. Only those coins that are sent to the burn address are what I consider to be what's lost forever.
If the lost thing is ever recovered, if it is lucky, it can be recovered, if not, it cannot be said. It seems to me that lost bitcoins can never be recovered because it's not like I'm leaving it somewhere and maybe I'll find it if I look for it. Bitcoin is a completely different system so I think if it is lost it can't be found again. If Bitcoin is transferred to someone's wallet by mistake, then it cannot be recovered.
But you are right that if the coins are sent to a useless address it is never recovered it is completely destroyed. Many coins have been lost in this way that can never be recovered or come back.