Amputations occur when all or part of a person’s limb or digit is either fully or partially removed. Current statistics compiled by WebMD reveal that approximately 1.8 million people in the United States have had amputations. The most common type of amputation involves a person’s leg. Recovering from an amputation is a painful process that frequently lasts years or even for the rest of a person’s life. Given the substantial physical and emotional pain caused by these injuries, victims often find themselves facing numerous hardships. While you will hopefully be able to obtain compensation after an amputation injury, if you have been left unable to do so, our experienced accident attorneys can help you pursue the compensation that you deserve.
Common Causes of Amputations and Loss of Limb Injuries
There are several causes of loss of limb injuries, including infections, tumors, and negligently performed surgical procedures. Sometimes, the amputation could potentially be avoided if medical professionals had adhered to the appropriate standard of care.
Loss of limbs can also occur due to car accidents, explosions, and work-related injuries like when a worker’s limbs become trapped in machinery. Many times, when loss of limb accidents occur, workers are handling machinery without following proper safety precautions. The United States Occupational Safety and Health Administration reports that between January 2015 and August 2016, approximately 5,000 individuals experienced amputation injuries. If your employer failed to adhere to workplace safety standards and this led to your accident, you should not hesitate to pursue the compensation you deserve.
Treatment for Amputation and Loss of Limb Injuries
Losing a limb is sometimes a clean amputation. In other situations, the limb is not completely removed in the accident and either some or all of the limb remains attached. In most situations, a patient will be placed under anesthesia during a surgical amputation procedure. A surgeon will then remove all of the damaged tissue and seal off any blood vessels. Hospitalization between five to 14 days is common after an amputation.
Soon after the surgery, patients can also expect to begin physical therapy. While these are the short term ramifications of having a limb amputated, many patients additionally experience emotional hardship that takes a long time to overcome.
High Cost of Amputation and Loss of Limb Injuries
A study compiled in the Journal of Bone and Joint Surgery reveals that the out-of-pocket medical costs associated with amputations is over $90,000 for the first two years. These costs, in turn, add up to $500,000 over the victim’s life. As a result, receiving compensation from the party responsible for your accident is often critical.
Contact Me Today
If you have suffered a catastrophic injury that resulted in amputation or the loss of a limb, you need the assistance of an accident lawyer with more than 40 Years of experience and the resources to help you! Call me today, and remember I’ll Make Them Pay!®.
