Catastrophic complications of traumatic amputation

On Behalf of | Jun 30, 2021 | Personal Injury

People who are involved in a car wreck or another serious incident might suffer from an amputated limb. Some of those individuals will be able to have the severed body part reattached, but others will end up learning to live without the body part. 

There are some risks that come with a traumatic amputation. These can make it much harder to heal after the injury and there’s a chance that some could be life-ending. 

What are some of the complications of limb amputations?

There’s a chance that the stump or reattachment site could become infected. This is partly due to the unsterile object that pierces the skin at the time of the trauma. The medical facility where you get care should thoroughly clean the area, but there’s still a risk of infection. This could lead to sepsis, which is a serious blood infection. 

Phantom limb pain, muscle atrophy, and bone loss are also possible after an amputation. A person who has a prosthetic limb may also suffer from damage at the stump because of the pressure of the prosthetic device. Regaining the full use of the limb after amputation and reattachment may be possible, but it might be quite difficult. 

What are your rights to compensation after a traumatic amputation?

Anyone who suffers a traumatic amputation in a car wreck or other incident might choose to seek compensation for the damages related to the injury. This could help them to face less of a financial impact, but they only have a limited time to get the claim filed. The statute of limitations sets time limits for getting these cases filed.