An amputation or loss of a limb is a catastrophic injury that changes your life forever. Your injury impacts every area of life, from your appearance, hobbies, and quality of life to your ability to work.
If someone else’s negligence or wrongdoing caused your amputation injury, you may be entitled to compensation. Here is what you should know about your legal rights after suffering a traumatic amputation injury.
Amputation Injury Overview
Amputation is the loss or removal of an appendage or limb, such as a finger, hand, arm, or leg. Amputation injuries are broadly divided into two categories: surgical and traumatic.
Traumatic amputations involve extremities lost in an accident or due to injury. Surgical amputations are extremities or portions of limbs surgically removed due to disease, dysfunction, infection, or damage.
A traumatic amputation may involve the loss of a limb that happens during the accident, such as an extremity torn off by heavy machinery. More often, it involves extremities that are extensively damaged and require surgical removal.
Types of Traumatic Amputation Injuries
Loss of limb is classified as an upper or lower extremity amputation.
There are also several levels of amputation that define how much of the limb remains.
Levels of upper extremity amputations:
- Forequarter: above the shoulder
- Shoulder disarticulation: at the shoulder
- Transhumeral: above the elbow
- Transradial: below the elbow
- Wrist disarticulation: at the wrist
- Transcarpal: finger or partial hand
Nearly 70% of people who have suffered an upper-body loss of a limb have an amputation below the elbow or at the trans-radial level.
About seven out of every 10 amputations involve the lower limbs.
The levels of lower extremity amputation are:
- Hip disarticulation: at the hip
- Transfemoral: above the knee
- Knee disarticulation: at the knee
- Transtibial: below the knee
- Ankle disarticulation: at the ankle
- Transmetatarsal or forefoot: toe or partial foot
Traumatic amputations may happen when part of the body is torn or cut off in an accident or due to severe damage. This damage may be an avulsion injury, crush injury, lacerations, high-energy twisting damage, or severe burns. Sometimes, amputation is necessary due to secondary infection, non-healing wounds, or poor healing after a serious injury.
How Common Are Amputation Injuries?
About two million Americans are currently living with limb loss. Of the 185,000 amputations performed every year in the United States, 45% or 83,000 are traumatic amputations.
There are 22 states that have enacted their own state OSHA plans and five states that have state plans for public employees only. The remaining states, including Georgia, fall under the federal OSHA plan.
What Causes Amputation Injuries?
Most amputations are caused by diabetes, neuropathy, peripheral vascular disease, or traumatic injury.
Diabetes and other forms of vascular disease account for 54% of amputations. About 60% of lower leg amputations that aren’t the result of trauma are caused by diabetes.
About 45% of all amputations involve a traumatic accident.
The most common accidents that cause amputation injuries are:
- Motor vehicle accidents. Car accidents and other traffic collisions can cause traumatic amputation, crush injuries, serious burns, and other injuries that make surgical amputation necessary.
- Farm and lawn care accidents. Agricultural accidents involving lawnmowers and heavy farm machinery are a common cause of loss of limb.
- Machinery and power tool accidents. Machines and tools are a leading cause of amputation on the job and at home. Machine guarding is one of the most important ways to prevent amputations. About 58% of work-related amputations involve machinery. Tools were involved in 7% of amputations.
- Workplace accidents. Construction sites, industrial sites, and factories have the highest risk of amputation for workers due to heavy machinery, power tools, and other dangers. Workers who operate and maintain machinery experience 18,000 serious injuries like amputations every year.
- Electrical shock. A high-voltage current passing through the body causes electrothermal heating. This can cause necrosis or tissue death, tissue loss, and severe damage to structures like muscles, blood vessels, bones, and nerves. Electrical shock can cause damage serious enough to require amputation.
- Medical malpractice. Sometimes improper treatment, failure to recognize complications, and even wrong-site surgery are responsible for an amputation.
- Burns. Amputation is a possible complication of severe burn injuries.
- Explosives, firearms, and fireworks. Military members may suffer combat-related amputations. On the Fourth of July alone, there are nearly 2,500 fireworks-related ER visits. About 4% of fireworks-related injuries are amputations.
Any traumatic accident can lead to an amputation injury, especially when it’s necessary due to complications or non-healing wounds.
What Is My Amputation Injury Case Worth?
Every case is different, particularly when it comes to catastrophic injuries.
To estimate what your claim may be worth, your lawyer will consider factors like:
- The circumstances of your accident
- The type of amputation injury and other injuries you suffered
- How your injury affects your daily life, mental health, and independence
- Whether you can return to your job or perform any type of work
- Your estimated future medical needs
- Your projected lost earnings based on your age and occupation
- Whether you share blame for your accident
- The defendant’s behavior
- Insurance coverage is available to pay for your losses
Cases involving loss of limb can quickly reach $1 million or more. Prosthetic devices may cost anywhere from $5,000 to more than $70,000 yet they may only last up to five years, regardless of quality. A Department of Defense study found the lifetime cost of prosthetics for service members with lower limb loss was $1.5 million.
It’s critical to accurately value your damages to make sure you are fully compensated and have the money you need to maintain your quality of life. Contact our law office today to schedule a consultation with a personal injury attorney to discuss how we can help you.
What Compensation Can I Recover for My Amputation Injury In Lawrenceville, Georgia?
If your injury was caused by someone else, you are entitled to be made whole. You may recover economic damages for your financial losses and non-economic damages for your psychological and emotional losses from the at-fault party.
Damages usually available in an amputation injury claim include:
- Medical bills and future medical expenses, including surgery, doctor’s appointments, and prescriptions
- Rehabilitation
- Psychological counseling
- Prosthetic devices
- Lost wages and future diminished earnings
- Out-of-pocket expenses
- Pain and suffering
- Mental anguish
- Emotional distress
- Reduced enjoyment of life
- Disfigurement
An experienced personal injury attorney will carefully document the full extent of your losses and pursue maximum compensation on your behalf.
How Long Do I Have To File an Amputation Injury Lawsuit In Georgia?
There is a two-year statute of limitations in Georgia that applies to most types of personal injury claims. This time limit begins from the date of your accident.
Contact Our Personal Injury Lawyers for a Free Consultation
Have you suffered a traumatic amputation injury in Lawrenceville, GA? You may be entitled to money for your damages, and Lawson Personal Injury Attorneys is here to help. We are ready to pursue maximum compensation on your behalf and hold the responsible party accountable.
Since 2012, we have recovered millions in settlements and jury awards for our clients. We are committed to pursuing the life-changing financial recovery you need to preserve your quality of life.
Call our law firm today at 678-710-3304 to schedule a free case review with a Lawrenceville personal injury lawyer. We will listen to your story and help you explore your best legal options.