As personal injury attorneys with years of experience representing injured clients, we have seen an unfortunate number of amputation injuries resulting from various types of accidents.

Most amputations are the result of vascular-related disease complications or diabetes. However, 15% of amputations are caused by trauma, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Trauma that results in the loss of a limb can occur in any number of accidents, including car accidents, industrial accidents, farm accidents, workplace accidents, and explosions. Operating heavy machinery and using power tools, for example, bring the risk of accidents and amputation. The risk of a trauma-related amputation increases with age, according to the National Limb Loss Information Center.

Amputation involves the partial or complete loss of a body part. The trauma of an accident can sever or crush a limb, requiring it to be amputated. Severe burns to a limb may also destroy enough tissue and muscle that the limb needs to be amputated. Amputation can be deadly and always requires medical care. A person who has lost a limb totally or partially is in a danger of death from blood loss. At the scene of the accident, the amputation should be immediately apparent. Symptoms include blood loss, shock, and losing consciousness. Depending on the severity of the amputation and the condition of the amputated body part, the part may be able to be reattached.

Fortunately, advances in medicine in recent years have made amputations less fatal. Nonetheless, losing a limb is a serious, life-altering event that requires immensely expensive medical treatment, including surgery. The healing process can require a long hospital stay, and an amputated limb will take weeks if not months to heal. Long-term physical therapy will also be needed to recover balance and learn to use an artificial limb. In addition, an amputation can cause complications. The person may suffer from lasting “phantom pain,” in which the person still feels pain in their lost limb even though it is gone. Damage to the nerves at the area of the amputation can also cause pain. The loss of a limb can cause grief or depression. The person may need counseling or medication to help them emotionally adjust to their loss.

The amputation will affect nearly every aspect of the person’s life, from whether or not they can continue their previous job to how they perform the activities of daily living.

If you or a loved one lost a limb as a result of an accident that was not your fault, contact a Huntsville personal injury attorney at Martinson & Beason, P.C. for a free consultation. We represent clients in Huntsville, Athens, Decatur, and throughout Alabama.

We can help you during this difficult transition by getting you the compensation you need to support yourself and your family.

Email us or call us at (256) 533-1667.