MattLaw®: Florida’s Amputation Injury Attorney

Living without a finger, a hand, an arm or a leg is unthinkable to most of us. Tragically, amputation injuries happen every day. Approximately 2 million people currently live with an amputated digit or limb, and approximately 185,000 amputation cases occur each year.

Many amputation cases are the result of a negligent driver, an unsafe work environment, or an inattentive doctor. In some incidents, accident victims must have a digit or limb amputated out of medical necessity. Even the most minor amputation case represents a tremendous shift in a person’s quality of life.

Have you suffered an amputation due to a car accident, trucking accident, workplace injury or medical malpractice? Our Florida amputation lawyers stand ready to help you recover financial compensation for your injury. Speak to a Florida amputation attorney today to learn more.

What Is An Amputation Injury?

Traumatic amputations result in a significant amount of blood loss, as well as immobilization, physiological effects, or even death. The most common amputation/loss of limb occurs in the upper or lower part of the knee. Amputations are irreversible, and many people require prosthetic limbs or reconstructive surgeries after going through a catastrophic incident.

The severity of medical complications and time to recover depends upon the site of injury. In cases of complete amputation, a finger or a toe is completely removed from the body.

In other circumstances, the injury victim might go through a partial amputation. This refers to a situation in which some soft-tissue connection remains. Therefore, according to the nature of the injury, a surgeon may be able to reattach the limb.

Recovery after an amputation is not an easy one. Along with the long period of time it takes to heal, your mental and emotional health may also be affected adversely. Lack of movement and less stamina can lead to a downward spiral on your personal and professional life.

The following is an explanation of the types of amputations and the areas of the body that are commonly affected.

Traumatic vs. Surgical: The Two Types of Amputations

Traumatic Amputation

Traumatic amputation refers to the loss of a body part due to an unexpected event that results in severe trauma. This includes crushing injuries, explosions, or severe accidents involving vehicles or machinery. Traumatic amputations can affect any body part, including limbs, digits, or even cartilaginous body parts like the ear or nose.

Traumatic amputations can occur in a variety of ways, including blunt force trauma, crushing injuries, or accidents involving sharp objects. People who have experienced traumatic amputations often face life-threatening situations that require immediate medical attention. In the immediate aftermath of a traumatic amputation, substantial bleeding, shock, and damage to surrounding tissues are common.

Surgical Amputation

Surgical amputation, on the other hand, is a planned procedure performed by medical professionals to address a specific medical condition. It is typically carried out to eliminate pain, prevent the spread of infection, or improve the patient’s overall quality of life. Surgical amputations are conducted in a controlled environment, ensuring the patient’s safety and proper post-operative care.

Surgical amputations are sometimes performed after severe trauma when the limb or digit cannot be salvaged. Extensive infection, malignancies, or diseases that severely compromise the limb’s functionality pose a threat to the patient’s health.

Surgical amputations are performed in a sterile operating room by skilled surgeons. The procedure involves careful dissection, ligation of blood vessels, and closure of the wound to promote healing. In contrast to traumatic amputations, blood loss and infection are rare.

How Does an Amputation Affect Psychological and Emotional Health?

A person who has suffered a traumatic amputation has a long and difficult road ahead of them. Medical treatment includes pain management, wound care, physical therapy, and counseling to support psychological adjustment and rehabilitation. These measures are absolutely crucial in helping a person regain independence and adjust to their new circumstances.

The use of prosthetics and mobility devices may also play a part in restoring mobility and function. Rehabilitation may take months, or even years.

Concurrently, both traumatic and surgical amputations can have a profound psychological and emotional impact on individuals. Traumatic amputations may carry an additional burden due to the sudden and often traumatic nature of the event. Individuals who experience traumatic amputations may require specialized psychological support to cope with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). They may also experience depression, anxiety, and body image issues.

People living with amputations may suffer debilitating emotional lows in the wake of their accident, as may their loved ones. (We discuss how to sue and collect for pain and suffering in a later section.)

What Areas Can Be Affected in an Amputation?

An amputation may happen to any of the body’s limbs and extremities, on both the upper or the lower body. We go into each section in more detail below:

Upper Limb Amputation

Amputations affecting arms, hands or fingers.

Shoulder disarticulation

Affected area: entire arm at your shoulder level

Forequarter amputation

Affected area: entire arm, shoulder, collarbone, and shoulder blade

Trans-humeral amputation

Affected area: upper arm between the elbow and the shoulder.

Elbow disarticulation

Affected area: elbow joint

Wrist disarticulation

Affected area: wrist joint

Metacarpal amputation

Affected area: part of the hand (wrist is kept intact)

Lower Limb Amputation

Amputations affecting legs, feet or toes.

Pelvic amputation (hemipelvectomy)

Affected area: half of the pelvis areas and leg.

Hip disarticulation

Affected area: leg at the hip joint

Transfemoral amputation

Affected area: thighbone

Ankle disarticulation

Affected area: ankle joint

Digit amputation

Affected area: toe or tip of toe

What Causes Amputation Injuries?

In some cases, amputation severs the limb in full. If the injury is not enough to sever the digit or limb, but doctors cannot perform reattachment, medical amputation becomes necessary. In either instance, the amputation is usually the result of these causes:

Physical Injury

In roughly 3 in upper-extremity amputation injuries, physical injury is the reason. The injury causes crushing, mangling or severing human tissue, whether by motor vehicle accident, climbing accident, natural disaster or other cause. Some physical injuries can be repaired, to some degree, through surgery. However, when the physical injuries are too severe, the injured digit or limb must be amputated.

The majority of amputation cases arise out of traumatic accidents. The Florida amputation attorneys at MattLaw® specialize in the following types of accidents:

Car Accidents
Truck Accidents
Motorcycle Accidents (of all amputation accidents, motorcycle accidents are among the most common)
Pedestrian Accidents
Bicycle Accidents
Workplace Accidents
Electrocution Accidents
Agricultural Accidents
Slips-and-Fall Accidents
Dog Bites and Animal Attacks
Watercraft and Boating Accidents
Golf Cart Accidents
Premises Liability Accidents

“How do I seek compensation for a traumatic accident?”
To bring a successful amputation claim, it is critical to prove negligence, whether on the part of an individual or company. This process begins with a full and prompt investigation of the circumstances surrounding the traumatic amputation accident. This is why it is important that you contact a Florida amputation attorney at MattLaw® right away.

Loss of Blood Flow

Lack of proper blood flow can lead to conditions that require amputation. This may also result from a medical condition, like sepsis, gangrene or necrosis. Blood flow issues may arise from having a digit or limb pinned under a rock or other heavy object.

Infection

Infectious diseases are illnesses caused by harmful agents, called “pathogens”, that get into your body. Such infections may spread from person to person, through contaminated food or water, or and through dog or insect bites. Most infections are minor and go away on their own, or with medicine, while other infections are very serious. Serious infections from viruses, bacteria, fungi or parasites can spread throughout the body quickly, and require amputation to stop.

“How does an infection-based amputation occur?”
When an infection is misdiagnosed or left untreated, the infection may spread to the rest of the body. Emergency medical intervention (amputation) is necessary to prevent death in the patient. Sepsis, gangrene and necrosis may cause infections that require medical amputation. The experienced Florida amputation lawyers at MattLaw® can help victims recover compensation for amputations resulting from all of these causes.

Fires, explosions, collisions, falls: defective or inappropriately maintained products are also a common cause of amputations, or injuries requiring amputation surgery. Dangerous or defective products can lead to class-action lawsuits: suits brought on behalf of a large number of injured people.

Medical Malpractice

Your doctors’ only job is to help you feel better. When they fail at their job, the results can be tragic. Medical malpractice lawsuits bring negligent doctors to justice. Delayed diagnosis, misdiagnosis, improper triage or a simple failure to treat an infection can lead to medical malpractice.

How Do I File A Florida Amputation Injury Claim?

If you have suffered an amputation due to someone else’s negligence, you may be eligible for compensation. This process begins by retaining a Florida amputation attorney at MattLaw® for a free consultation.

What Expenses May Be Covered In My Florida Amputation Injury Claim?

Amputations often result in tremendous medical expenses. Such medical costs may include hospital bills, diagnostic testing, medical prescriptions, and physical therapy and occupational therapy. Many amputees also accrue surgery expenses and costs associated with long-term care facilities.

Loss of job and future income potential

No matter what the severity of amputation injury, it may take a while for things to return to business as usual. The person’s work routine and earning potential will likely be affected. Many amputees require time off from work to rest and recover, after which they may require physical therapy. In some instances, a persona may be unable to work to the same capacity ever again.

Florida state law allows injured people to receive compensation when they have suffered an amputation due to someone else’s negligence. This provides financial security to people who may not be able to rely on a steady paycheck. It also offsets the gap in income growth that may slow or stop due to their injuries.

Pain and Suffering

Pain and suffering is a legal term that describes the unquantifiable ways a person may struggle after a catastrophic injury. It’s often the little things—gardening, traveling, holding grandchildren—that leave the biggest void.

Additionally, mental anguish—feelings of distress, fear, anxiety, depression or grief—often result from amputation injury. Additionally, a person’s body image may also suffer after an amputation. While these feelings cannot be quantified, many amputation victims are entitled to compensation for the emotional pain resulting from their injuries.

Loss of Consortium

Partners, children and caregivers of amputation survivors may also find themselves suffering as a result of the injury. This is called loss of consortium: a decrease of connection, affection and joy due to their loved one’s injury.

How Long Do I Have To File A Florida Amputation Injury Lawsuit?

According to Florida’s Statute of Limitations, most amputation lawsuits have a two-year statute of limitations. This means that you have, at most, two years from the date of injury to file your amputation lawsuit in Florida. If you wait to file your lawsuit beyond the 2-year statute, the court will likely dismiss your case.

So: File your case as soon as possible! The longer you wait, the harder proving your claim will be.

What Is “Hybrid Comparative Fault”, And How Can It Affect My Amputation Claim?

Amputation survivors sometimes worry about filing an amputation claim if they may have been partially at fault. Florida’s “Hybrid Comparative negligence” is a legal term that describes the degree to which an injured person is responsible for the accident.

Florida is now a hybrid comparative fault state, which means you still may pursue a claim in which you have been to some extent comparatively negligent. . However, if a jury finds that you were more than 50% at fault, then your damages, or financial award, will be reduced to zero. If you are less than 50% at fault, then your recovery is reduced by your percentage at fault.

Amputation claims that involve comparative negligence require an experienced Florida amputation attorney. For additional information and guidance, contact us today to arrange your free consultation.

Do I Need A Florida Amputation Attorney?

The amputation attorneys at MattLaw® have the skills, the knowledge, and the passion for helping you feel whole again. Our law firm’s reputation is one of integrity, compassion and results.

Before taking your case to trial, we investigate every detail. We speak with crash reconstructionists, doctors, economists and other professionals to understand your situation from every angle. We gather documentation to establish liability, confirm insurance coverage, and outline the extent of your injuries. Our team collects expenses, lost wages and documentation of pain and suffering.

We handle all communications and negotiations with the opposing party’s insurance company and attorneys. And most critically: if a satisfactory settlement arrangement cannot be reached, we stand ready to defend you in court.

If you or a loved one has suffered an amputation injury, we fight for the compensation you deserve. Our caring and compassionate personal injury attorneys handle the case in its entirety, so that you can focus on recovery.

Schedule Your Free Consultation With A Florida Amputation Attorney

Are you seeking financial compensation for an amputation resulting from an accident, fire, product defect or medical malpractice? Speak to a dedicated amputation injury attorney at MattLaw®. Schedule your free, no-obligation consultation as soon as you can to avoid complications with your case. Contact us online or call (813) 222-2222 to begin the process.