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Limb Amputation Facts

Every day, Americans suffer amputations of fingers, hands, toes, arms, and legs. Amputations are traumatic in and of themselves, and they can also cause long-term consequences such as a loss of employment and the inability to engage in activities the amputee formerly enjoyed. In an amputation, a person loses a limb or body part from a personal injury, surgery, or disease. More than 2 million people live with the loss of a limb in the United States.

Contact Our Experienced Amputation Lawyers

Have you or a loved one suffered from an amputation caused by another person's negligence or recklessness? If so, you might be entitled to damages for your injury. At Arnold & Smith, PLLC, we have helped many people secure damage awards for their limb amputations. We offer our potential clients a free case evaluation. Contact us today to schedule your case evaluation to learn how we can fight for you.

What Causes Amputations in the United States?

According to Johns Hopkins Medicine, the following are the main causes of limb amputations:

  • Diseases including blood vessel disease, diabetes, osteomyelitis, and blood clots
  • Personal injury accidents are a leading cause of amputations of the arms
  • Surgery to remove cancerous tumors from muscles and bones

Nearly 70% of all amputations due to a traumatic accident involving one or both arms or hands being amputated. In fact, 75% of all amputations of upper extremities are related to a traumatic injury. Every year, more than 185,000 amputations happen in the United States. Sometimes amputations can be caused by someone else's negligence. This type of injury is the basis for many personal injury lawsuits.

Limb Amputation Statistics

The following statistics will help give an understanding of limb amputation in the United States:

  • Every year, 50,000 new amputations happen in the United States according to the National Center of Health Statistics
  • The ratio of upper limb amputations to lower limb amputations is 1:4
  • The most common amputation is a partial hand amputation involving the loss of one or more fingers
  • The next most common amputation is the loss of one arm
  • Of those living with an amputation in the United States, 30% have an upper limb loss
  • 70% of those living with an upper limb amputation have an amputation from their fingers to the elbow
  • 10% of amputations happen to those 21 years of age and younger while 60% of arm amputations happen to those age 21 to 64
Statistics Regarding the Causes of Amputations in the United States

The most common causes of amputations are cardiovascular disease, traumatic accidents, tumors, infections, and nerve injuries. The most requested causes of amputation of the upper limbs are traumatic personal injury accidents and cancer. In fact, traumatic personal injury accidents cause 77% of all upper extremity amputations in the United States.

Hand injuries account for many amputations. Hand injuries account for one out of every three workplace injuries and one out of every five claims of personal disability. Every week, nearly 3,000 people lose a limb in the United States.

What is the Rehabilitation Process Like for Amputations?

If you have recently experienced a limb amputation, you are probably concerned about paying for the costs of your medical treatment. Amputations often require significant rehabilitation care. Patients recovering from limb amputations often need significant time off of work.

Recovering financial compensation through a personal injury lawsuit can help you and your family pay for the cost of ongoing care. Amputees will often need ongoing inpatient and outpatient care from the following experts:

  • Orthopedic surgeons
  • Physiatrists
  • Internists
  • Physical therapists
  • Occupational therapists
  • Social workers
  • Orthotists
  • Recreational therapists
  • Case managers
  • Prosthetists
  • Vocational counselors
Who can I Sue for My Amputation?

Whether or not you can bring a personal injury lawsuit depends on the cause of your amputation. When another person's actions or inaction was responsible for your amputation, you may have a right to a personal injury lawsuit. For example, if your employer failed to maintain safe heavy machinery, and a defective machine caused a traumatic injury that resulted in your amputation, you have a personal injury claim. Or, if another driver's negligence caused the motor vehicle accident that required amputation, you may have a valid personal injury claim.

Contact Our Amputation Lawyers Today

If you have suffered an amputation caused by someone else's negligence, our law firm can help. We investigate our clients' claims thoroughly to determine who is at fault. We can help you determine if you have a valid personal injury claim. Contact us today to schedule your case evaluation.


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