What Are Loss of Limb Injuries in Accidents?

Severe accidents of various types can result in devastating injuries — some can ultimately heal, while others may cause permanent disabilities. Injuries like spinal cord injuries (SCIs), traumatic brain injuries (TBIs), and amputations can all result in permanent disabilities that not only can be life-altering in terms of a person’s physical abilities but can also require significant monetary resources. A permanently disabling injury can necessitate ongoing and costly medical care while a patient is also facing the realities of lost wages and the inability to work. Traumatic amputations are one such type of injury. Our Richmond personal injury lawyers want to ensure that you have the information you need about this type of harm, and what options might be available to you in the aftermath of an accident that results in a loss of a limb.

What is a Limb Loss Injury? 

A limb loss injury is also known as a traumatic amputation injury. According to Johns Hopkins Medicine, this type of injury refers to the “loss or removal of a body part such as a finger, toe, hand, foot, arm, or leg.” For most patients who experience a traumatic amputation, this type of injury is a “life changing experience affecting your ability to move, work, interact with others and maintain your independence.” Depending on the type of accident and the details, a traumatic amputation can occur almost instantly at the scene of an accident, or the amount of tissue damage or destruction can necessitate a surgical amputation in the aftermath of an accident.

Many individuals experiencing a loss of limb injury experience both physical and emotional or psychological consequences, including “continuing pain [and] phantom limb phenomena.” The emotional consequences of this type of injury are often severe, requiring additional psychological care and treatment.

What Types of Accidents Result in Traumatic Amputations? 

Traumatic amputations can occur as a result of many different types of accidents. Generally speaking, accidents account for about 45 percent of all amputations. Johns Hopkins Medicine and MedlinePlus cite the following accidents as the most common causes of traumatic amputations:

• Motor vehicle crashes or collisions;
• Power tool accidents;
• Industrial accidents; and
• Severe burns.

Many of these types of accidents cause a person’s skin or tissue to sustain so much damage, or blood loss, that a surgical amputation becomes necessary.

 Contact a Richmond Traumatic Amputation Attorney for Help

Anyone who has been severely injured in an accident resulting from another party’s negligence or reckless behavior should seek legal advice as soon as possible. Although it may be difficult to think about turning your focus to a lawsuit at this time, it is important to think about your financial needs at this time, as well. A civil claim can often allow an injured person to recover damages that compensate for medical care, rehabilitative therapies, medical devices, lost wages, and even the pain and suffering and disfigurement associated with traumatic amputations and other life-altering injuries.

An experienced Richmond traumatic amputation injury lawyer at Latham & Martin can speak with you today about your legal options for seeking compensation after a devastating accident in Virginia.

Sources:

hopkinsmedicine.org/health/treatment-tests-and-therapies/amputation

medlineplus.gov/ency/article/000006.htm