Accidental Amputation Attorney

Surgical amputations are typically performed due to infections, vascular diseases, and tumors, among other things. The goal is to remove a damaged, sometimes dead, limb that poses a threat to the rest of the body. These amputations are intended and often prepared for, whereas amputation injuries are not. Generally speaking, an amputation injury is the loss of a limb that generally could have been avoided in most circumstances.

Injuries from a car accident may commonly cause an accidental amputation, as well as accidents due to the discharge of firearms or explosions. Other things, such as negligence by a medical professional during surgery or negligence of a pet owner that leads to a dog bite injury in Louisiana may also lead to accidental amputation. However, one of the more common cases we see in terms of amputation injuries comes from construction accidents at the workplace. 

This is because jobs that require the use of heavy and dangerous machinery often leave workers at a higher risk of severe injury, such as accidental amputation. Mechanical power presses, conveyors, drill presses, and grinders are only some of the many dangerous machines that pose a high risk of danger when it comes to potential amputation injuries. Since construction workers frequently surround themselves with this type of equipment, they may be more likely to receive these types of injuries. In these cases, the injured worker may need a personal injury attorney as well as a workers’ compensation lawyer.

In most cases of amputation,the removal of a limb is an informed decision that takes place between a doctor and the patient. In the case of an accidental amputation injury, however, the victim was not prepared for such a traumatizing lifestyle change and often does not know what to do after. 

It goes without saying, but the first thing you should do following a wrongful amputation is obtain immediate medical attention. After your wounds are properly treated, it is important that you adhere to your doctor’s recovery and rehabilitation plan to ensure your body heals properly.

The next thing you need to do is reach out to a wrongful amputation lawyer. In addition to the number of expenses you have already paid for emergency immediate treatment, you will more than likely have plenty of hefty medical bills in the future. Our personal injury attorneys at Gordon & Gordon can help make sure these expenses are covered entirely. We will investigate every avenue of your injury to ensure that you are compensated properly and to the maximum extent and that the responsible parties are held accountable.

In addition to compensation through a personal injury claim, amputees may also claim certain benefits, like disability benefits, for example. To receive Social Security disability benefits, a person must be considered totally and permanently disabled. They must also be able to prove that their disability prevents them from living or working independently. In addition, the disability or disorder must be anticipated to last for more than a year or eventually lead to the individual’s death.

Obviously, catastrophic injuries such as amputations last much longer than a year—they last a lifetime. Thus, the permanency of an amputation injury is not an issue when it comes to qualifying for benefits. It is the severity of the injury that matters. According to the Social Security Blue Book, amputees may qualify for SSD benefits if they fall into any of the following categories:

• Amputation of both hands.
• One or both lower extremities amputated at or above the ankle with complications that prevent the use of prosthetics.
• One hand and one lower extremity at or above the ankle, with an inability to walk or move effectively.
• Hemipelvectomy or hip disarticulation.

Amputees may also qualify for benefits under the National Limb Loss Information Center. This Center is designed to enhance the victims of amputation injuries overall quality of life. It offers programs, services, and publications intended to improve patient care and raise awareness about limb loss.

A victim of an amputation injury can expect to put around $500,000 towards medical expenses over the course of their lifetime. This does not even include the possibility of prosthetics, which can cost tens of thousands of dollars in and of itself. If you are not responsible for the accident that caused your amputation, why should you be responsible for paying for the repercussions of someone else’s negligence?

As a catastrophic injury victim, you are entitled to receive compensation as well as any necessary medical care and treatment that's needed for your recovery. This is especially true for those who are victim to an accidental amputation. Unfortunately, insurance companies often see compensating amputees with hefty settlements more like a threat than an opportunity because it means less profit-producing cases in their portfolio of clients. This also applies to negligent entities whose careless actions resulted in someone losing a limb. 

That is why having an experienced amputation attorney on your case is so important. An amputation attorney will make sure that both insurance companies and responsible parties pay you the full compensation you rightfully deserve for your injury.