April is Limb Loss and Limb Difference Awareness Month and it is a good time to review amputations. This type of injury can affect an entire arm or leg or part of a finger or toe. Amputations are life-altering events, leading to potential mobility differences and even trauma.
Amputations can be caused by many factors:
- Crushing injuries which require a limb to be removed to save the patient
- Crushing injuries where the limb is too damaged to be saved
- Car accidents and other motor vehicle accidents
- Workplace accidents
- Sports injuries
- Birth injuries
- Boating accidents
Recovering From Amputation
In Coral Gables, amputations can be traumatic, surgical, or congenital. Traumatic amputations occur when a limb is lost in an accident, such as a car accident. In surgical amputations, a surgeon removes all or part of a limb to save the patient’s life or because the limb is too injured to save. In congenital amputation, a child is born with a limb difference.
All amputations can potentially lead to:
- Distress and trauma
- Increased medical costs over a lifetime
- Mobility difficulties
- A loss of independence
- Phantom pain
- Difficulty returning to work and everyday activities
- A need for occupational or physical therapy and ongoing support
Since amputation can affect every area of a patient’s life, a multi-disciplinary approach is often used in treatment. A patient may undergo a process of healing from the surgery or amputation. They may or may not use prosthetics and physical therapy as part of their recovery. Long-term, rehabilitation can include emotional support and counseling as well as ongoing monitoring and treatment.
Even after recovery, patients may need to be aware of an increased risk of falls and re-injury. They may also need ongoing pain management.
Seeking Financial Recovery After an Amputation in Coral Gables
Obviously, the costs of an amputation can be high, especially since a patient may need to replace prosthetics for the rest of their life or may always need to buy a more expensive, adapted car for their use.
If you have suffered an amputation in a car collision in Coral Gables or because of someone’s negligence, you may have a claim and may be able to pursue financial recovery. This can help you pay for counseling, surgery, prosthetics, medical, rehabilitation, lost wages, and the many other expenses you may be facing. Without seeking compensation, you may be facing many of these costs alone, so pursuing fair recovery can mean you face less financial distress and may be able to seek high-quality medical care.
Are you not sure whether you have a claim? Would you like to know how much your claim may be worth before you decide what to do next? Have you received insurance paperwork after your injury and aren’t sure what to do? Contact Flaxman Law Group at 1-866-352-9626 (1-866-FLAXMAN) for a free accident consultation with a Coral Gables amputation injury claims attorney. Our team has more than 60 years of combined experience and we may be able to discuss whether you may have a claim, how much your claim may be worth, and what you options are with any offers you may have received.