More than two million Americans are living with an amputation injury. During surgical amputation, a surgeon removes a limb due to a serious medical condition or illness. Cancer, an infection, tissue damage, and blunt force trauma can cause damage requiring an amputation. Unfortunately, many amputation injuries are caused by preventable accidents.
If you or your loved one have suffered an amputation injury from an accident that wasn’t your fault, you may be entitled to compensation. Under Texas law, injury victims can pursue a personal injury claim or insurance claim from the at-fault party or parties. The attorneys at Ceja Law Firm PLLC are prepared to investigate your case, gather evidence, negotiate with insurance adjusters, and pursue the full compensation you need and deserve.
Amputations Can Cause Ongoing Pain and Suffering
Suffering any type of serious injury can be upsetting, but an amputation injury can be especially upsetting. Amputation injuries can lead to permanent disability and loss of employment and housing opportunities and can hurt a victim’s personal relationships with friends and family members. Losing a limb can deeply affect a person’s sense of sense.
Traumatic limb amputations can cause additional diagnoses, such as depression, anxiety, PTSD, isolation, and suicidal amputation. Every ambulation claim is different, and the amount of compensation you may be able to recover will depend on multiple factors. The attorneys at Ceja Law Firm PLLC have extensive experience representing clients who’ve suffered catastrophic injuries.
Types of Amputation Injuries
Amputation occurs when there is a traumatic separation of a body part due to severe tissue or nerve damage. There are three main types of amputations: complete, incomplete, and degloving. A complete amputation occurs when there is a total severing of a body part away from a person’s body. Incomplete amputation occurs when a body part has been partially severed, but a part of the body remains. Degloving occurs when a person’s skin is separated from the body tissues underneath.
Amputations Caused By Auto Accidents
The most common cause of amputation is from underlying diseases, such as cancer and diabetes. However, trauma accounts for a significant number of amputations. Auto accidents are among the most common causes of amputations. Motorcycle, boat, pedestrian, bicycle, electric scooter, and truck accidents are by far among the leading causes of traumatic amputation injuries.
The amputation may occur when the accident occurs. For example, blunt force trauma can cause the limb to become partially or fully severed. In other cases, the injuries may result from complications caused by the impact of the vehicle. Surgeons may decide that amputation is medically necessary after they begin treating the victim at the hospital.
Amputations Caused By Medical Malpractice
Most doctors work diligently to help patients become healthy. However, even the best doctors can make mistakes that cause devastating injuries. When doctors, nurses, or other medical professionals engage in negligence, victims may be able to pursue a medical malpractice lawsuit. For example, a doctor may engage in the following negligence practices, causing a patient injuries that lead to an amputation, such as:
- Failure to adequately treat a post-op wound, resulting in gangrene
- Failure to diagnose and treat an infection, leading to an amputation
- Failure to adequately monitor the treatment of a patient with diabetes
Amputations Caused By Dangerous Jobs
Work-related injuries are another common cause of preventable amputations. Employees who work in dangerous fields, such as agriculture, food processing, construction, industrial work, and agricultural work, can result in severe wounds resulting in compensation. Some of the common types of negligence that cause amputations include the following:
- Power tool accidents
- Lack of safeguards on machinery
- Getting crushed or pinned by materials
- Explosions or demolition accidents
- Malfunctioning mechanical equipment
- Lack of employee safety training
Suffering an Amputation After a Maritime Amputation Accident
The maritime industry is a crucial component of Houston’s economy. Workers on Houston-based ships, harbors, and oil rigs are at a higher risk of suffering traumatic injuries, including amputations, than in other industries. If you’ve lost a limb in a high-risk maritime accident, it’s essential to reach out to an experienced attorney immediately.
Different laws may apply to your claim for compensation if you were working in a maritime incident. For example, the Jones Act, the Death on the High Seas Act, and others may allow you to pursue compensation for losing a limb while working in the maritime industry. There are strict time limits for filing a claim, and an attorney can ensure you submit your claim on time.
Recovering Compensation for an Amputation Injury in Texas
After listening to the facts of your case and asking you some questions to understand your injuries better, we can estimate what your claim may be working. We regularly work with financial and medical experts to determine the future expenses victims will incur due to their injuries. Your potential award for damages may include the following damages:
- The location and severity of the amputation and its impact on your day-to-day life
- Loss of income due to time you’ve taken off of work
- Loss of future income, employment benefits, and career opportunities in the future
- All of your current and future medical expenses, including hospital says, surgeries, rehabilitation, medication, and more
- The cost of prosthetics
- The costs of renovating your home to make it accessible
- The costs of transportation to and from medical appointments
- The cost of adapting your vehicle
- Emotional distress
- Pain and suffering due to phantom limb
Contact an Amputation Injury Attorney in Houston
Recovering from an amputation is expensive, painful, and mentally and emotionally draining. If you’ve suffered an amputation caused by another party’s negligence or recklessness, it’s crucial you reach out to an experienced attorney. The attorneys at Ceja Law Firm PLLC are prepared to protect your legal rights and interests. We have a proven track record of recovering significant compensation for personal injury victims in Houston and surrounding areas. Don’t hesitate to contact Ceja Law Firm PLLC to schedule a complimentary case evaluation.
