Many traumatic injuries sustained in car crashes respond well to treatment. People with broken bones or soft tissue injuries can typically expect to make a full recovery. However, there are some injuries that are likely to cause lasting complications. Catastrophic injuries often have permanent medical consequences and lasting financial consequences. Spinal cord injuries and brain injuries are well-known catastrophic injuries.
People are also aware that car crashes sometimes cause amputations or limb loss. However, people may have an overly-restrictive understanding of the circumstances surrounding an amputation after a car crash.
Amputations often happen after the fact
Traumatic amputations are a concern in car crashes. In particularly severe collisions, the force of impact can sometimes sever a body part at the scene of the crash. Traumatic amputations are incredibly dangerous. The injured party is at risk of severe infection and high levels of blood loss.
People who leave the scene of the crash with their extremities intact could still be at risk of limb loss. Many car crash amputations do not occur right at the scene of the wreck. Instead, they occur at a medical facility after the collision.
Medical or surgical amputations occur in a variety of different scenarios. In some cases, the injured party might have sustained a crush injury. The damage to their bones, musculature, vascular tissue and nerves may be so extensive that repairing the damage is all but impossible.
Other times, the person may sustain a comminuted fracture. The bone may break into many pieces, making treatment unpredictable and incredibly costly. The injured person may have a better long-term prognosis if the doctors remove the injured extremity or limb.
Even when an amputation occurs in the surgical environment, it is likely to cause lasting medical and financial consequences. The injured party may need to change professions. They may incur ongoing medical expenses that persist for the rest of their life.
People dealing with catastrophic collision injuries often need help covering their expenses. Discussing the circumstances surrounding a car crash with a skilled legal team can help people pursue compensation. Personal injury lawsuits can be a way to recoup the staggering expenses generated by particularly severe traumatic injuries, including amputations.
