Suffering an injury is traumatic enough. Being faced with an amputation in addition to the accident can be an even worse diagnosis. It is sometimes possible to reattach the limb after an accident. There is also pioneering technology that results in the grafting of organs so at to give the appearance of a limb. For instance, a person with an amputated thumb digit may have that replaced with a toe. However, for most people, they have to either rely on prosthetics, special equipment, or do without the limb altogether. The pain of this loss is coupled with the enormous medical costs involved. Typically, you may be faced with a bill for the ambulance, surgery, prosthetics, and actual medication. There is also the other opportunity cost occasioned by the hospitalization as well as your reduced functionality after the amputation. Your financial future may even be put in jeopardy if you cannot work effectively without the limb. If you are faced with such a situation, especially if the accident was caused by the neglect of another party, you need an experienced personal injury lawyer representing your interests.
What are amputations?
Medically speaking, an amputation is any action that results in the removal of an external body organ. The amputation can be done either surgically or through trauma. Surgical amputation is carried out under a hospital setting. The medical professionals may carry out an assessment on the damaged body part and determine that it cannot be salvaged. This might be as a result of severe injury or infection. In this case, they might opt for surgical amputation so as to save the life of the patient. A traumatic amputation, on the other hand, occurs when the body part is severed in the accident. Some of the common accidents that lead to traumatic amputation include those involving vehicles, motorbikes, and dangerous machinery.
What costs are typically involved?
In addition to the immediate costs such as ambulance and treatment fees, there are others that come later. You might need occupational therapy in order to return to some semblance of normal life. The rehabilitation costs significant amounts of money and takes time. You might also lose your earnings during the period in which you are hospitalized and receiving treatment. Sometimes the level of amputation may mean that you are effectively unable to do your job which leads to unemployment. There is also the cost caused by pain and suffering. Suffering such horrific injuries that result in the loss of a body part can have significant neurological effects. For instance, there are many documented cases of phantom limb pains which involve the person experiencing some pain, irritation, or itching on the amputated limb even when it is not there. This is a mental condition that may also accompany depression and reduced feeling of self-worth.
Why do you need a lawyer?
You may be entitled to file a personal injury claim after an accident that results in an amputation. Ideally, you want compensation for the costs occasioned by the amputation. These include both the immediate as well as future costs such as those of rehabilitation and lost wages. You need a personal injury attorney to help you navigate the legal requirements. Specifically, you need a personal injury lawyer that is well experienced in the field. In order to get such a professional, you should do your homework properly and get the right attorney. There are a number of attorneys who specialize in amputation cases, and they offer the best starting point. They would know that there are various complications associated with amputation. For example, there may be recurring infections, extended healing and recuperation time, stiffness, and chronic pain.
A personal injury law firm will help to build a strong case that has a high chance of delivering your expectations. The professional attorney will analyze the facts involved and come up with an effective strategy. Since there might be stiff resistance from the opposing side, you need a lawyer that can make important decisions at the critical moments. They can also help you structure the payments so that you can either get a lump sum or regular payments. Ensure that you hire a compassionate lawyer who will fight for you as you go through this traumatic experience.
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