What to do After Suffering an Amputation Injury in North Carolina

When individuals go through a serious accident, the doctor does not always have the ability to save a limb, and an amputation may become necessary. When a serious injury causes the bones, blood vessels, and nerves to become crushed beyond repair, sometimes amputation is the only option available. In other cases, patients develop a severe infection that spreads to their limbs, and surgeons must amputate one or more limbs to save their life.

No matter the cause of your limb amputation, the amputation process is often mentally and emotionally challenging. Those who experience amputations often need to change their life significantly. Your financial and emotional well-being can be negatively impacted by a limb amputation. Speaking to an experienced personal injury lawyer can help you tremendously. If you or a loved one have experienced a limb amputation, contact the experienced lawyers at Arnold & Smith, PLLC to schedule your case evaluation.

Nearly 2 million people in the United States have undergone a limb amputation in the United States. The main cause of limb amputations is vascular disease. Trauma causes 45% of limb amputations. Every year, approximately 185,000 amputations happen in the United States. Amputations can involve any body part, including arms, legs, feet, toes, fingers, and ears. Some of the most common causes of traumatic amputations include the following:

• Car, truck, bicycle, train, and motorcycle accidents
• Factory, workplace, and construction accidents
• Agricultural accidents
• Lawn mower accidents
• Fireworks accidents
• Electrocution accidents
• Severe burn accidents
• Car door and building accidents
• Gun accidents
• Violent trauma caused by knives or gunshots

Motor vehicle accidents are one of the most common causes of traumatic amputations. Industrial accidents and agricultural accidents also cause a significant number of injuries. The most common amputations are partial hand amputations in which patients lose one or more of their fingers. The second most common amputation involves the loss of an arm. 60% of victims of traumatic amputations are between the ages of 21 and 64, and 10% of amputation victims are under the age of 21.

Doctors have a responsibility to treat patients using a reasonable standard of care. In many cases, amputations are completely necessary. Doctors do not always make the best decision when amputating a limb, however. There may have been better alternatives than amputation available and the doctor negligently or recklessly chose to amputate.

In other cases, a doctor may not choose the best time to amputate the limb. They may choose to wait for an "auto ambulation" in which gangrenous tissue will die and slough away on its own. This process often takes months and may not be the best option. If you suspect that your doctor's negligence led to your amputation, or made your injuries worse, you may have a medical malpractice case. Consult with one of our experienced limb amputation attorneys today to discuss your possible medical malpractice case.

Going through an amputation is difficult enough. Losing a limb is usually life-altering. Many people lose significant work time or even their jobs entirely due to limb amputations. They may not be able to work in the same industry and many cannot engage in activities that they once loved. Many patients who have a lower limb amputated need to be readmitted to the hospital for complications involving their amputation within 30 days.

Additionally, amputations often require significant time in physical therapy or rehabilitation centers. People who lose a leg need significant therapy to learn how to walk using a prosthetic. Likewise, those who lose a hand need significant training in how to complete daily tasks without their hand. The rehabilitation process often takes over a year or more and can be incredibly expensive.

If you have suffered an amputation in a traumatic accident, you might be concerned about how you will pay all of your medical bills. You have likely had to take significant time off of work and attend expensive rehabilitation programs. Receiving compensation from a personal injury lawsuit may be your only chance to recover the financial losses you have suffered due to your amputation.

When another person or business's negligence or recklessness has caused your injuries, you have a right to seek compensation for your injuries. At Arnold & Smith, PLLC, our legal team has helped many clients recover damages for their traumatic amputation injuries. Contact our Charlotte personal injury law firm today to schedule your case evaluation.