One of the most devastating and long-term injuries that a car accident victim can suffer is an amputation of a body part. It can impact many areas of a person’s life and may prevent him from working in his former profession. If you suffered an amputation in an auto collision, it is important to understand the long-term expenses that you face to ensure that you receive them as part of your settlement.
Types of Car Accidents That Can Lead to Amputations
There are two types of amputations caused in a car accident. A traumatic amputation occurs when a body part, such as a leg, arm, toe, or finger, is severed from the body in the accident itself. Another type of amputation is a surgical amputation, which occurs when a body part is so crushed and damaged in the wreck that it has to be surgically removed, sometimes to save the victim’s life. While any type of car accident can lead to an amputation, they are more likely in these types of collisions:
- Rollover car accidents
- Head-on collisions
- T-bone accidents
Recovery From an Amputation Is Long-Term
If you suffered an amputation, you could need expensive medical treatments throughout your life. An amputation is a surgical procedure and often includes a hospital stay where the initial wound healing can be monitored, and you are taught how to care for it once you return home. Complications that can arise include:
- Development of a hematoma, which is the pooling of blood under the skin
- Infection
- Wound opening
- Death of tissue
- Blood clot in the veins in the lungs or legs
- Phantom pain at the site of the amputated body part
You will also need more long-term treatment to adjust to life without a limb. The wound itself can take up to eight weeks to heal. You may need physical therapy to help build muscle strength and to learn how to get in and out of a wheelchair if a leg was amputated. You may be fitted with a prosthesis that can enable you to compensate for your lost limb or other body part. However, these devices are expensive, and you may need to replace it more than once during your lifetime. In addition, you could need psychological treatment if you suffer with depression, anxiety, or grief over the loss of your limb.
An amputation is a catastrophic injury that will increase the amount you should receive in your settlement. Because of this, the negligent driver’s insurance company could fight harder to deny or reduce your claim. Our experienced car accident attorneys understand the long-term consequences of this injury and are here to aggressively fight for your right to compensation. Call our office to schedule your free consultation to learn more about your options.
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