Annually in the United States, thousands of accident victims are forced to undergo traumatic amputations. The procedure is necessary to salvage a patient’s limb or to save their life. Severe crashes involving trucks are among the leading causes of amputations nationwide.
Enduring a truck crash is traumatizing enough, and losing a limb later can compound a victim’s trauma and change their life’s course. If you underwent an amputation after a truck accident, you don’t have to bear the financial burden alone, especially if someone else caused the accident through their negligence.
Our truck accident attorneys explain the contributing factors of amputation injuries and your rights to seek proper compensation for an amputated limb.
Truck Accident Amputations
Amputations involve surgery to remove part of, or the entire limb or extremity. Your doctor may recommend the process to control the pain and prevent the infection from spreading. The most common reason for the procedure is a wound that doesn’t heal, often resulting from insufficient blood flow to the limbs.
Typical forms of amputation following a truck accident include:
- Below-knee amputation to remove the lower leg and its extremities
- Above-knee amputation on a section of the knee, thigh, foot, shin, or toes
- Finger amputation
- Hand amputation
- Arm amputation
- Foot amputation to remove an area of the foot
- Toe amputation
Why are truck accidents such a risk factor for amputations?
Of all motor crashes, truck accidents have the most significant risk of amputation injuries. Considering their sheer size, massive weight, numerous blind spots, and lack of maneuverability, trucks are more prone to causing severe accidents with life-altering injuries. This is particularly true if a smaller car or motorcycle is involved.
Should an Accident Victim Have a Limb Amputated?
A body part can be torn away or cut off during a severe truck accident. In other instances, amputation may be the only solution if your limb is impossible to repair.
Amputation can be the only solution to your injury in the following situations:
- Severe injury: The damage to the limb from the crash can be so extensive that the doctor cannot salvage it.
- Serious infection: If the injured part doesn’t respond to antibiotics and other forms of treatment, you may be safer with the limb removed.
- Neuroma: Severe injury can cause the nerve tissue to thicken, an irreversible condition that can only be fixed by removing the limb.
The additional medical cost of an amputation shouldn’t be on your shoulders or your family’s if the amputation injury happened from another’s negligence. Your attorney can consider all the legal options to get an adequate loss of limb compensation.
What Are the Legal Remedies for an Amputated Limb?
Truck accident amputations require varying levels of ongoing rehabilitation and care. What you’ll get as compensation for the amputation claim will depend on the type of amputation and the effect on your quality of life.
An experienced attorney can protect your rights and use all the legal avenues available to get the most appropriate compensation for your financial needs.
Obtaining this compensation may require proving the negligence of a defendant truck driver, or establishing the vicarious liability of a trucking company that has inadequately trained or improperly hired their truck driver. Your attorney will review evidence collected from the scene, from witnesses, and from the trucking company’s documents to identify all potentially liable parties.
The amount of compensation you can receive depends on many factors. You have the right to compensation for all of the harm caused by the crash. Contact our attorneys to find out what you can get compensated for.
Recovering From A Traumatic Amputation
Every patient responds differently after losing a limb. Whatever the hurdles you may experience, always remember that recovery is a continuous process.
Proper emotional counseling and physical therapy should help you adapt and live a healthy and fulfilling life.
Other helpful tips include:
- Exercise regularly to enhance control and muscle strength;
- Take part in activities that can promote independence and restore your ability to handle daily chores;
- Leverage assistive devices and prosthetic limbs;
- Seek emotional support to help you deal with the grief; and
- Rely on an experienced attorney to handle the legal battle that lies ahead.
Contact Bringardner Injury Law Firm to discuss your case
Located in Charleston, SC, our lawyers at Bringardner Injury Law Firm are ready to serve as your amputation lawyers in the event of a catastrophic truck accident. We offer free consultations and our legal fees are contingency-based. We are only paid after you’re compensated for your lost limb. Call us today.