Posted by: Mark Albright on Mon, May 13, 2013Share this post
An amputation is the loss of a body part, typically a limb, appendage or other upper or lower extremity such as a foot, leg, hand or arm. There are nearly 185,000 amputations every year in the United States. A large percentage of these amputations are the result of blood loss or the body’s inability to channel blood to the affected or injured body part. About 1.2 million people in the United States, live with an amputation.
Causes of amputations vary, but most are caused by birth defects and non–traumatic illnesses such as diabetes. However, many amputations result from accident trauma or physician malpractice. About twenty–two percent of United States amputations are a direct result of traumatic injuries, such as amputations caused by:
- Auto Accidents;
- Airplane Crashes;
- Amusement Park Injuries;
- Construction Accidents;
- Severe Burns;
- Products Liability;
- Bus Accidents;
- Train Accidents;
- Heavy Machinery and Equipment Accidents;
- Drunk Drivers or Drug Related Accidents;
- Work Related Accidents;
- Truck Accidents;
- Commercial Vehicle Accidents;
- Children Injuries;
- Boating Accidents;
- Motorcycle Accidents.
The Treatment of Amputations
There is more hope for amputee victims today than at any other time in our history. Doctors employ advanced medical procedures that can re–attach limbs and appendages and save severely injured body parts. Nerve regeneration is a major hurdle that patients need to be overcome, but stem cell technology may soon help bridge this gap. Moreover, prosthetic medical device technology has improved greatly over the past decade. Prosthetic devices today are biomechanically able to mimic the range of motion of normal limbs, allowing accident victims to live normally functional lives without putting additional stress on non–affected body parts. Oscar Pretorius in the Olympics is a great example.
Even with advances in medicine, amputee victims face difficult life challenges, both physically and psychologically. Most amputees experience a phenomenon known as “phantom limb” sensation or phantom pain, which is psychologically difficult to overcome. Even children born without an appendage have reported feeling the presence of their missing or amputated body part.
Legal Experience Is Vital To Amputee Victims
Hospitalization costs, medical costs, rehabilitation costs, physical therapy, vocational training and prosthetic device costs are just a few of the expenses faced by amputee victims. The blade-runners high tech running legs can cost in excess of $10,000, while a computer microprocessor knee can run over $50,000. Amputation victims, whose injury was caused by the fault or negligence of another person, should seek compensation for injuries from responsible parties through experienced attorneys. The lawyers at Albright Stoddard Warnick & Albright provide personal attention to each and every case and client. Our experienced attorneys will guide you through the personal injury claim process. We will keep you updated as your case progresses and work hard to secure the best possible financial results.
We provide a free consultation for amputee victims and their families. To schedule your free consultation, please call us at 702-384-7111 or email email@example.com.
Fault is determined by the facts of each case. If someone is at fault for your amputation, you certainly have a right to seek compensation from all liable parties.
Liability and Negligence
Liable parties are people and companies that are responsible under the law for your amputation. Liable parties in an amputation case may include one or more of the following:
- The owner of a vehicle
- A trucking company
- An employer
- The owner of freight being hauled in a tractor trailer
- The driver of a vehicle
- A bar, restaurant or other party who sells alcoholic beverages
- The owner of the property on which you were hurt, e.g. the owner of a construction site or a farm
- A construction company
- A doctor, hospital or other medical professional
- The manufacturer of a defective product that caused your amputation
- The manufacturer of a drug responsible for your amputation, e.g. a medication that causes gangrene, which leads to amputation
- The owner of a dog
- The person who assaulted you and inflicted injuries that led to amputation
Amputation Victim Compensation
After your amputation, you may be contacted by insurance companies seeking a quick settlement. They will never offer you the amount of compensation you deserve. Do not talk with insurance representatives, adjusters or investigators of the potentially-liable parties. Anything you say could be used by the insurance company to pay you less than you should get. In other words, what you say may be used against you as an admission against your best interests.
If you have lost a limb, you deserve justice. You won’t get your natural limb back, so the only way to get the justice you deserve is to get the most money possible in an amputation lawsuit against all of the parties who are liable.
Compensation for amputation victims can include money for the following:
- Medical Expenses
- Lost Wages
- Lost Earning Capacity
- Pain and Suffering
- Emotional Distress
- Loss of Quality of Life
- Other Damages
When our law firm represents amputation victims, we do our own investigation to gather evidence regarding fault, liability and damages (the amount you should be compensated).
Catastrophic or life-changing injuries not only affect the injured victim, but his or her entire family. A serious injury such as an amputation can require a person to learn new skills simply to complete normal day-to-day activities, as well as recreational and employment related skills. Those who are victims of serious injuries deserve to be represented by an aggressive and skilled trial lawyer.
Albright Stoddard Warnick & Albright is one of the oldest and most established law firms in Las Vegas, Nevada. We have decades of experience advocating for people who have been seriously injured and enjoy the highest A-V rating. We stand ready to help and are committed to providing quality legal representation. We have a vast range of resources we can utilize, from medical professionals who can help with the initial medical trauma to rehabilitation therapists.
Although physical therapy may be difficult, others have overcome similar challenges successfully. Here are just a few:
- Carol Hunstein, Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Georgia, was a divorced single mother who had lost a leg to cancer by age 23. She then went to college and law school with the help of Vocational Rehabilitation and eventually rose to Chief Justice.
- Max Cleland lost both legs and one arm in a war injury in Vietnam. After very difficult times in hospitals, he eventually became a State Senator, Director of the US Veterans Administration, Georgia Secretary of State and United States Senator.
- There is a growing list of amputees who have become noted marathoners and tri-athletes: Eugene Roberts(double amputee completed 3,100 mile run across America); Scott Rigsby (double leg amputee Ironman tri-athlete); Hector Picard (double arm amputee tri-athlete); Sarah Reinertsen (single leg amputee Ironman tri-athlete); Scout Bassett (single leg amputee tri-athlete).
Twenty years ago, the Paralympic Games drew 3,000 disabled athletes to compete in 16 sports. This summer in London, 4,200 athletes will compete in 20 sports, including track and field, rowing, wheelchair rugby and power lifting.
The lesson from these modern day heroes is…Never Give Up! However, we do understand that amputation injuries are costly, both in terms of immediate medical expenses and ongoing care and future treatment. If you or a loved one suffered an amputation resulting from an accident in Southern Nevada, or the Las Vegas metro area, the experienced attorneys at the personal injury law firm of Albright Stoddard can help you seek the maximum financial compensation to which you are entitled. To discuss your case in a free consultation with an experienced lawyer who understands the struggles faced by amputees, please call us at 702-384-7111 or email us today at firstname.lastname@example.org.
About the Authors: The law firm of Albright, Stoddard, Warnick & Albright is an A-V Rated Nevada-based full-service law firm having attorneys licensed in Nevada, California and Utah. Our firm’s practice includes a strong emphasis on personal injury accidents. Call us at 702-384-7111.
Note: This article, and any other information you obtain at this website, is not offered as legal advice, nor should it be relied upon as such, nor is it a solicitation for legal services. Only a licensed attorney can advise you with respect to your specific legal needs. We welcome your contacting our firm to discuss such representation. Contacting us does not create an attorney-client relationship. Please do not send any confidential information to us until such time as an attorney-client relationship has been established.