AMPUTATION/LIMB LOSS

In The United States today, there are over 1.7 million people living with an amputation.  There are approximately 335,000 new amputations that occur each year.

This type of injury is extremely traumatic. It affects the victim as well as his/her immediate family. The trauma is not just the injury or removal of the limb or body part, but the ongoing difficulty that the person has coping with daily life without an arm or leg or without multiple limbs.

Few who have not experienced such a traumatic physical loss themselves can really understand what it’s like to have difficulty buttoning a shirt or blouse with one hand, being unable to walk, much less run or dance, or to need help with such everyday tasks as bathing, dressing, cooking and eating, getting in or out of bed, using the bathroom, or traveling to the doctor or family events. In many instances, a person may lose the ability to perform their previous job or to work at all.

Unfortunately, all too often people disabled as a result of an amputation may face cruel discrimination and even social ostracism by those who do not understand that their situation is not their fault.  But instead these accident victims remain whole people, with the full range of human emotions and needs we all experience.

Those who are wheelchair bound as a result of their amputations often find that many buildings, including restaurants, workplaces, and the homes of friends and family may not easily be accessible for them any longer. Indeed, often an injured person’s own home must be modified in major and expensive ways and equipped with special furniture and fixtures to make entrances, bedrooms, kitchens, and bathrooms accessible and useable by the amputee.

What Are The Main Causes Of Amputation?

The main causes of amputations are vascular disease (circulation complications), cancer, trauma, and congenital (caused from birth).

In some instances, workplace injuries may also be the cause.  A trauma accident such as auto accidents, motorcycle accidents, falls, and the like, can destroy blood vessels that cause the soft tissue to die. When this happens, an amputation may unfortunately be necessary to prevent serious uncontrollable infection and possible death.

Some amputations may be the result of medical malpractice in failing to promptly diagnose and properly treat controllable diseases such as diabetes or to prevent or control infections following surgery.

There is Hope after An Amputation

There are now many support groups available and medical steps you can take after having an amputation to help you adjust to your new circumstances. There are also increasingly sophisticated prosthetic devices, therapeutic treatments, and mechanic devices and aids that can help in making the best of a bad situation and better enable a person who has tragically lost one or more limbs to cope with everyday life tasks.

Physical and occupational therapy can help the amputee learn to better perform many necessary everyday tasks without the missing limb or limbs and how to compensate for the physical abilities that have been lost.

If you have suffered an amputation because of someone else’s negligence or fault, a personal injury attorney can help you receive enough compensation to help you with pay for needed  for the necessary services and support for the rest of your life by making those responsible pay for what they have done.

No amount of money is ever adequate to truly make up for the loss of one or more limbs, but an award of damages (monetary compensation)  in a lawsuit can mean the difference between living an independent life or one in which you depend upon others for all of your basic needs.

Damages can be awarded to pay for past and future medical expenses, needed physical and occupational therapy, needed prosthetic devices, mobility aides, wheelchairs, lost income and earning capacity, future income and pain and suffering. There is hope, and things can get better for you and your family.

The Law Offices Of Michael A. Fiumara Are In Your Corner

Santa Rosa Attorneys Michael A. Fiumara  is personal injury lawyer serving those badly hurt and injured due to no fault of their own throughout Northern California.

There is absolutely NO FEE to discuss your case and there is absolutely no fee unless we win and get you the money you are entitled to receive for your injury.

We are on your side and know exactly what to do to get full compensation and justice. Additionally, we have worked with many other amputees and their families who also have faced the difficult challenges that you are now confronting.

We truly understand your situation, and will do everything possible in our power to help you!

If you or a loved one have been injured and have required an amputation, you will need a highly skilled and experienced lawyer and Law Firm with specific experience dealing with such cases.

Call The Law Offices of Michael A. Fiumara at 707-571-8600 OR 760-832-6118 for a free consultation.

 Please call our office at (707) 571-8600 in our centrally located Santa Rosa office in Sonoma County to schedule a free and confidential case evaluation.