Amputations are often one of the most difficult injuries to deal with after a car accident.
The loss of a limb or a digit (finger or toe) in such an event is known as a traumatic amputation. While this injury is not as common as some other car accident injuries, the Amputee Coalition reports that car accidents are the primary cause of traumatic amputations.
Causes of Amputation Injuries
While just about any type of car accident can cause significant injuries, those that are most likely to cause limb-threatening injuries include:
- Rollover accidents
- Head-on accidents
- T-bone accidents
- Side collisions
Types of Amputation Injuries
An amputation can completely change a victim’s life, and some of the most common amputation injuries include:
- Above the knee amputations
- Below the knee amputations
- Partial foot amputations (toes or half the foot)
- Partial hand amputations (part of hand or parts of fingers)
- Ankle disarticulation amputations (foot at the ankle)
- Shoulder disarticulation amputations (removal of the entire arm)
Due to the severity of amputation injuries, complications may arise. They vary greatly and may include swelling, fever and chills, and numbness and tingling in the existing portion of the amputated limb.
Non-Physical Injuries
Amputees can also face non-physical injuries after an amputation such as psychological trauma or emotional discomfort. Between fifty and eighty percent of amputees will also feel the limb that is no longer attached. This is known as phantom limb, and the nonexistent limb can ache, burn, itch, and even feel as though it is moving.
If you have sustained an amputation due to another driver’s negligence, please contact us.