We typically think of amputation as resulting from vascular disease and diabetes, or active military service, but as many as 45% of limb loss incidents are traumatic amputations occurring during accidents. Amputations sometimes occur in serious accidents or an amputation becomes surgically necessary due to severe injuries or partial amputation suffered in an accident.
Amputation injuries are among the most catastrophic and life-altering injuries an individual can experience, with permanent impacts on their quality of life, ability to work, and capacity to accomplish routine daily tasks.
What Causes Amputation Injuries?
Traumatic amputation is the sudden loss of all or a significant portion of a body part such as fingers, toes, feet, hands, arms, or legs. Most traumatic amputations result from the following causes:
- Car accidents
- Commercial truck accidents
- Pedestrian accidents
- Motorcycle accidents
- Workplace injuries
- Powertool and equipment accidents
- Farm accidents
- Medical malpractice
- Severe burns or electrocution
When an amputation occurs abruptly in an accident, it causes significant trauma, including blood loss, damage to surrounding tissue, and life-threatening shock. An accidental amputation is always horrific, but when it’s a preventable accident caused by an individual’s careless or reckless action, or by an employer or manufacturer’s negligence, the injury victim shouldn’t be left with the undue burden of expenses as well as the tremendous physical consequences.
What to Do After an Accidental Amputation
The sudden loss of a limb is one of the most horrific and dreaded accident experiences any victim can face. It’s a life-threatening emergency requiring immediate medical attention. Amputation injuries may be partial or complete. After an accidental amputation, call 911 to request emergency services and then take steps to stop the bleeding using layers of clean clothes and touching the open area as little as possible to prevent transferring bacteria. Apply direct pressure for 15 minutes or until help arrives. If blood soaks through the cloth, add another layer without removing the first. Keep the victim warm to protect against shock.
After a complete amputation, those assisting should locate the amputated body part, wrap it in clean cloth or gauze, and then place it in a clean plastic bag or container. Put the bag or container on ice and give it to the EMS workers when they arrive. If the injury is a partial amputation, the paramedics will splint the limb before moving the victim.
Cherry Hill injury victims or those helping them should also take photographs of anything that caused or contributed to the amputation, such as broken or defective equipment or damaged vehicles after an accident. Then, take the contact information of eyewitnesses.
What Compensation Is Available After a Traumatic Amputation?
An accidental amputation has serious consequences for victims and their families. The sweeping emotional impacts as well as the physical ones are enormous. While financial compensation cannot erase the injury and emotional harm, it does allow amputation victims access to the best prosthetics, physical therapy, and medical care and relieves financial hardship. A successful claim for compensation after an amputation injury can recover any or all of the following:
- Past and future medical expenses
- Past and future income loss
- Lowered earning capacity due to disability
- Pain and suffering
- Diminished life quality
- Emotional trauma, phantom pain, PTSD, anxiety, depression
Even the best prosthetics and physical therapy cannot restore a lost limb, but victims of traumatic amputations can still enjoy a high quality of life with the financial resources necessary to maximize their physical and emotional recovery.
How Can an Injury Attorney Help?
Amputation has lasting implications for victims and their families. If you or a close family member suffered a preventable amputation injury, you shouldn’t have to deal with the complications of a legal claim or lawsuit without skilled, experienced representation. Call the injury lawyers at Cuneo & Leonetti today so we can begin strategizing the best way forward and take prompt action to recover your compensation.