Amputation is the technical term for limb loss. Motor vehicle collisions are one of the leading causes of amputations. Serious crashes can potentially cause immediate traumatic amputations. The force of the collision may cause sufficient physical damage to remove a limb or extremity.
However, many amputations related to car crashes do not occur right at the scene of the wreck. Instead, they occur later in a medical environment. Surgical or medical amputations are sometimes the best treatment option available. Those who sustain crush injuries, in particular, may be at risk of a post-collision surgical amputation and a lifetime of financial challenges related to it.
Crush injuries are often severe
Crush injuries may not always look as serious as they actually are. Unlike open injuries that produce dramatic blood loss, crush injuries often leave limbs and extremities intact, at least externally. However, the internal damage may be so extensive that health care professionals cannot salvage the damaged body part.
Attempts to repair crush injuries can require multiple months of medical intervention and numerous surgical procedures. Even then, there is no guarantee of success. Frequently, crush injuries cause comminuted fractures. The bones in the affected body part break into many tiny pieces that doctors cannot easily set.
Crushing force can also cause major damage to musculature and vascular tissue. It can demolish connected tissues and cartilage. Nerve damage is a serious concern as well. Left untreated, crush injuries could cause untenable levels of pain that affect someone’s functional capabilities, overall mood and quality of life.
Surgical amputations are still debilitating
Undergoing a medical amputation in a surgical environment is safer than experiencing a traumatic amputation. Doctors can carefully remove the injured body part. They can ensure the sterility of the tools used and can seek to minimize nerve damage.
However, the loss of a limb or extremity inevitably affects an individual’s health, quality of life and earning potential. They are likely to have ongoing care costs for the rest of their life. They may also have to change professions or reduce their ambitions because of their new functional limitations.
Those with catastrophic car crash injuries, including amputations, may need help pursuing an appropriate amount of compensation, and that’s okay. Filing a lawsuit in addition to an insurance claim may be necessary for those who have suffered crush injuries and had to undergo an amputation following a wreck given all that is at stake.
