Serious Potential Complications Relating To Amputations
Atlanta Personal Injury Attorneys Discuss Issues Relating To Amputations
Amputations normally occur in two ways: surgical or traumatic. Surgical amputation most often occurs as a result of a diseased body part that will die and turn septic. Consequently, surgeons remove the infected area to avoid poisoning the body, which can lead to death. The most common medical reasons for amputation include diabetes, cardiopulmonary disease, and cancer. While limb loss for a medical reason is incredibly difficult to deal with emotionally, the patient most hopefully will have support before and after the surgical procedure to prepare for the drastic alteration in life. However, no one could prepare themselves for the pain, devastation, and despair after a traumatic loss of a limb.
A traumatic loss of a limb can occur in many ways. The most common are car accidents, workplace accidents, intentional or accidental shootings, and becoming trapped in mechanical devices, such as doors, or appliances such as food processors. Predictably, males are more likely to suffer a traumatic amputation than a female.
Automobile and motorcycle accidents place an adult at the greatest risk of losing a limb. Automobile accidents cause 43% of all traumatic amputations. Meanwhile, industrial accidents account for 26% of traumatic amputations. Furthermore, motorcycle crashes cause 21% of traumatic amputations.
Advances in medical treatment allow for the possibility of successful reattachment of a lost limb. Proper care must be given to the amputated limb and the area from which the limb was lost in the immediate aftermath of the incident. Whether the limb can be reattached depends on the type of amputation and the damage done to the limb. Consideration must be given to damage to the bones, muscles, ligaments, tendons, vascular passages, and nerves. For example, a guillotine amputation, that is when the limb is swiftly removed, have a greater chance of reattachment. However, tearing amputations such as when a limb becomes caught in a moving mechanism, and crush amputations, such as those most commonly experienced in car accidents, have a lower successful reattachment rate. The possibility of reattachment also hinges on whether the victim suffered medical complications after the accident. One of the complications is excessive bleeding from the site. Additionally, the injured person could go into shock, which can be lethal. Shock is to be expected. The pain of an amputation is unimaginable, and it is frightening.
The amputees suffer tremendous emotional impact from their injury. Amputees are faced with adapting to life without their limb and can feel a sense of loss, anger, frustration, depression, as well as anxiety in dealing with the fact that they lost a limb in the first instance and then confronting the effort required to rehabilitate from the injury. They have to re-learn numerous daily activities. Amputees also need to confront the impact of an altered appearance. Furthermore, there is physical pain, sometimes referred to as phantom pain, in the area where the limb once was. Children of an amputee parent can have a difficult time comprehending what happened and coping with the new appearance of their parent.
Amputees also face an uncertain financial future. Not only can they incur significant medical expenses, but they might also need to learn new job skills if they can work at all. Also, traumatic amputees will be out of work for a significant amount of time because of the length of treatment and rehabilitation necessary to heal from the injury and reclaim the life they had before the amputation. Our attorneys here at Montlick & Associates understand the severity of such injuries in that they commonly require costly medical care, lost income, and Pain and Suffering. We fight hard on behalf of each injured client in order to recover for them the maximum compensation to which they are entitled under the law.
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If you have been injured in any type of accident caused by someone else's negligence, contact Montlick & Associates today for your free consultation. Montlick & Associates has been representing those who suffer serious injuries throughout all of Georgia and in the Southeast for over 39 years, including but not limited to Albany, Athens, Atlanta, Augusta, Columbus, Gainesville, Macon, Marietta, Rome, Roswell, Savannah, Smyrna, Valdosta, Warner Robins and all smaller cities and rural areas in the state.
No matter where you are located our attorneys are just a phone call away, and we will even come to you. Call us 24 hours a day/7 days a week for your Free Consultation at 1-800-LAW-NEED (1-800-529-6333). You can also visit us online at www.montlick.com and use our Free Case Evaluation Form or 24-hour Live Online Chat.
Sources:
https://medlineplus.gov/ency/article/000006.htm
https://medlineplus.gov/limbloss.html#cat_77
https://www.ahcmedia.com/articles/140552-traumatic-amputations
Montlick & Associates, Attorneys at Law
17 Executive Park Dr NE
Atlanta, GA 30329
Telephone: 1 (800) LAW-NEED
Telephone: 1 (404) 529-6333