Amputation is one of the most serious types of injuries that can result from a car crash. According to Industrial Safety and Hygiene News, 70% of amputations involve upper limbs. Lower limb amputations can make it difficult or impossible to walk again and will at least limit mobility when using a prosthetic limb. If your amputation resulted from the negligence of a motorist, you have every right to seek the compensation you deserve.
The Effects of an Amputation
Suffering from an amputation can have devastating consequences, including:
- Causing immense pain and suffering
- Preventing you from working a full-time job
- Bringing an end to activities you once enjoyed
While prosthetics have come a long way, they are no replacement for the loss of a limb. You will also have to pay expensive medical bills, participate in grueling physical therapy sessions, and remember the traumatic experience of losing a limb. You might also need to have your home modified to account for the loss of your limb.
Why So Many Accidents Cause Amputations
Some car accidents are so severe that they cause an amputation directly, but other amputations result from an injured limb becoming infected and amputation being the only option. Also, if you have lacerations deep enough to cut nerves and bone, your doctor may consider amputation necessary.
The Importance of Seeking Maximum Compensation for Your Amputation
After a car accident, you may be contacted by the insurance carrier of the party responsible for the accident, and the adjuster may offer a settlement. You may be eager to accept it, but most insurance carriers offer a low settlement initially. In other cases, the insurance company may insist that the defendant was not at fault and deny your claim.
Because of how expensive an amputation can be and how it may limit your future earnings, it's essential that you speak with an auto accident attorney who can help you calculate the total damages resulting from your car accident.
In addition to medical bills, you must account for:
- Future medical bills
- Lost wages
- Lost future potential earnings
You must factor in pain and suffering you have experienced, loss of enjoyment in life, and psychological effects of losing a limb such as PTSD and phantom limb pain.
Once you have calculated all of your damages, an auto accident attorney can negotiate with the insurance carrier of the negligent party to help you receive an adequate settlement.
Someone else does something silly. You get hurt and incur thousands of dollars' worth of medical bills, and you're also forced to take a month off from work. It doesn't really sound fair, does it? It's not. But luckily, there is a way you can ensure the responsible party ends up paying for your expenses, and that's by hiring a personal injury attorney. Your attorney can file a civil suit against the person who caused your injuries, so you can get paid what you deserve.
Learn more about personal injury attorneys and the work they do right here. When you're injured due to someone else's actions, this information will come in really handy.