Although it may not be as common as soft tissue injuries and broken bones, amputation is a risk when motor vehicles collide. People can lose a limb or an extremity and will require both trauma care and rehabilitative support so that they can adjust to life after such an injury.
Some people coping with the consequences of a crash-related amputation may have to change their professions or at the very least take an extended leave of absence from their employment. There are two different kinds of amputations, and individuals could suffer either kind of amputation after a car crash.
Traumatic amputations
When people talk about limb loss, they usually mean a traumatic amputation. The crash itself could detach a limb from someone’s body. In such scenarios, blood loss is a major concern at the scene of the crash. There will also be a greater risk of nerve damage that can cause lingering symptoms and make complicate someone’s recovery.
Someone who experiences a traumatic amputation will require immediate transportation to a hospital and may spend several days there as medical professionals help stabilize their condition.
Surgical amputations
Sometimes, the crash does not detach an individual’s body part but rather causes massive damage that necessitates an amputation. Crushing injuries are a perfect example. When the bone breaks into multiple pieces and when the soft tissue around it suffers severe trauma as well, doctors may realize that they are unable to save the injured body part and will perform an amputation procedure.
Surgical amputations often have many of the same medical consequences as traumatic amputations, although medical professionals may be able to minimize nerve damage depending on the condition of the affected body part.
Whichever kind of amputation occurs, the patient will likely require significant support as they adjust. Prosthetic devices can be very useful for those recovering from amputations but will drastically increase the costs someone incurs.
Pursuing an insurance claim or a personal injury lawsuit after a car crash leads to amputation can help individuals connect with the financial resources they need to get the best care possible.