While it is rare, some car crashes can cause amputation injuries. Crash victims either lose the limb in the collision itself or suffer a severe injury that requires doctors to amputate.

This is one of the most life-changing outcomes of a collision, as victims must change the way they do countless tasks. The financial and emotional impact cannot be overstated.

If you or your loved one suffered an amputation or another severe injury in a Minneapolis collision caused by a driver’s negligence, call us for legal assistance. Our Minneapolis motorcycle accident lawyers has successfully recovered millions for crash victims, and there are no upfront costs or fees.

Need legal help? Contact TSR Injury Law: (612) TSR-TIME.

How Can You Lose a Limb in a Car Crash?

Car crashes can cause traumatic amputations, where a limb is severed from the body during a collision. Crashes could also cause catastrophic damage to one of your limbs. Doctors may need to amputate to prevent infections from spreading from the damaged limb to the rest of your body.

These are some of the injuries that could result in limb amputation after a crash:

Crush Injuries

A crush injury could cause catastrophic damage that results in an amputation. For instance, your arm or leg could get crushed or caught between parts of your vehicle. Prolonged pressure can cause irreparable damage, including severe fractures, lacerations, crush syndrome and the release of toxins that could put great stress on your internal organs, especially your kidneys. Some victims suffer compartment or crush syndrome. Even with treatment, doctors may need to amputate to save patients’ lives.

Severe Fractures

High-impact collisions can shatter bones in such a way they cannot be prepared. If the fractures restrict blood flow to the affected limb or cause significant tissue damage, doctors may need to amputate.

Penetrating Injuries

Sharp objects, such as metal pieces from the vehicle or broken glass, can cause deep lacerations or puncture wounds. These injuries can sever your blood vessels, muscles, nerves and bones, making it nearly impossible to salvage your limb.

Compartment Syndrome

This condition occurs when swelling within an enclosed muscle compartment increases pressure to dangerous levels, cutting off ‌blood flow to your body parts and destroying tissues. If not treated quickly, the affected limb may need to be amputated.

Burns

If there is a fire or explosion, crash victims could suffer severe burns. If you suffer third-degree burns, amputation might be the only viable option to prevent life-threatening infections from spreading to other parts of the body.

Vascular Damage

Severe trauma can damage major blood vessels, leading to loss of circulation in your limb. If vascular repair is not possible or does not restore enough blood flow, amputation may become necessary to prevent gangrene and other complications.

Secondary Infections

In some cases, your initial injuries may lead to severe infection. Amputating the affected limb can be crucial to preventing the spread of infection and saving your life.

What Body Parts Could be Amputated After a Severe Minnesota Car Crash?

Some of the most common car crash amputations include:

• Leg amputations
• Arm amputations
• Elbow disarticulation amputations, which are through the elbow joint instead of the bone
• Shoulder disarticulation amputations, which are through the shoulder joint
• Finger and hand amputations
• Partial hand amputations
• Wrist disarticulation amputations, which are through the wrist joint
• Foot and toe amputations
• Partial foot amputations
• Transtibial amputations (below the knee)
• Transfemoral amputations (above the knee)
• Hip disarticulation amputations, which are through the hip joint

Why do They Amputate Legs After a Car Crash?

Doctors often amputate legs because patients suffered crush injuries. Compression caused catastrophic damage to bones, muscles and nerves and restricted blood flow to the leg for too long.

This could happen in a rear-end car crash or underride truck crash, both of which could cause the driver’s leg to get pinned under the dashboard. The driver could get trapped in the vehicle, leading to prolonged compression.

What are the Potential Complications from an Amputation?

Amputations can cause a variety of serious complications that may affect patients for a long time. For instance, losing a leg or foot could cause a decline in your physical activity. This may raise the possibility of blood clots that could threaten your life.

Other possible complications from an amputation include:

• Excessive bleeding and loss of blood; victims may need a transfusion to save their lives
• Post-operative infections that could damage remaining tissues; doctors may need to do surgery to treat the infection and prevent it from spreading
• Muscle weakness in the remainder of the limb
• Phantom limb pain, which happens when the victim feels like he or she still has the missing limb; the pain could be constant

How Long do Amputations Take to Heal?

The wound at the amputation site usually heals within a matter of weeks, anywhere from a month to about six weeks. However, the scar on the amputation site could take a year to a year and a half to fully heal.

Doctors typically must wait for the site to fully heal to give the patient a prosthetic. Doctors must also wait to make sure there are not any complications.

How Painful is Losing a Limb?

The physical pain from an amputation is considerable, and it may be chronic. The pain can cause a decline in physical activity, as it may be just as severe as the pain from the original injury. Anyone who has ever dealt with chronic pain knows how debilitating it can be.

If the patient lost a limb, he or she can get a prosthesis, but this means the victim needs to relearn how to do some things. For example, if the patient lost a leg, he or she will need to learn how to walk with a prosthetic. Moving around often takes more time and can be exhausting.

Losing a hand or an arm means the patient is going to need help or to relearn how to write, bathe, cook and handle any number of tasks he or she once took for granted.

Often, physical pain is accompanied by emotional pain. Victims may experience severe post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) where they relive the experience of losing the limb.

Chronic pain can lead to depression, stress and trouble sleeping. This greatly reduces quality of life.

Amputations change the victim’s personal appearance, which serves as a constant reminder of the injury and the crash. This can diminish the victim’s self-esteem, making it harder for him or her to engage in the same activities he or she once enjoyed.

The Importance of Expert Witnesses in Amputation Injury Claims

Expert witnesses play a pivotal role in amputation injury claims. Medical experts can provide detailed insights into:

• The extent of your injuries, such as which body part is amputated and how much.
• Treatments required, such as rehabilitation or occupational therapy with prosthetics.
• The long-term impact injuries have on your life, such as the inability to walk and the emotional trauma you experience

How Much Compensation Can You Get for Losing a Limb?

Amputation victims may be eligible for various forms of compensation. Injury compensation is generally divided into two categories:

• Economic damages: These are quantifiable losses, such as medical expenses, including surgeries, hospital stays, rehabilitation, prosthetic devices and ongoing care are economic damages. Also, you may be eligible for lost wages and loss of earning capacity if you are unable to return to work.
• Non-economic damages: Pain and suffering, emotional distress, loss of enjoyment of life and loss of consortium are non-economic compensation. For example, if you experience significant emotional trauma and can no longer enjoy activities like attending concerts or social clubs due to your amputation, you may claim compensation for these non-economic losses.

Contact TSR Injury Law Today

If you or a loved one has suffered an amputation injury from a collision, contacting a lawyer is an important step.

Your lawyer can educate you on your legal rights and guide you through the claim process. This includes negotiating with insurance companies and representing you in court if your case goes to trial.

We have recovered over $1 billion for our clients and want to help you seek the compensation you deserve.

Our lawyers are ready to speak to you: (612) TSR-TIME.