Some car crash injuries are minor. People make full recoveries if they receive proper treatment. The worst car crash injuries have permanent consequences. If people injure their brains or their spinal cords, they may have lifelong medical challenges that result from those injuries.
Amputations or limb loss can also cause permanent medical issues for people. The loss of a body part has an immediate impact on functional capabilities. People are at risk of infection, dangerous levels of blood loss and nerve damage. They may experience long-term psychological distress and a host of other secondary consequences.
Motor vehicle collisions are among the top causes of modern amputations. Contrary to what people sometimes assume, not all amputations occur at the scene of a crash.
Traumatic amputations are rare
A traumatic amputation involves the extreme force of a collision causing the removal of a body part. Traumatic amputations endanger people’s lives and necessitate immediate emergency medical intervention. Limb loss at the scene of a car crash is possible but relatively rare. People are at greater risk of experiencing a post-crash medical amputation.
Amputation may be the best treatment option
There are several types of injuries that health care professionals may not be able to successfully treat. Comminuted fractures may not respond well to treatment. Crush injuries that cause bones to break in numerous places and damage the surrounding tissue do not always heal properly.
People may require multiple surgeries and months of rehabilitative support with no certainty of success. In cases where the damage to the body part is already extreme, health care professionals may decide that the removal of the damaged body part provides the best prognosis for the patient.
Surgical or medical amputations are cleaner and less likely to cause major scarring and nerve damage than traumatic amputations. However, patients tend to experience the same functional limitations and psychological challenges even if an amputation occurs in a medical environment rather than at the scene of a car crash.
People who incur catastrophic injuries, such as amputations, in a car crash scenario may need help securing appropriate compensation. It may be necessary to file a civil lawsuit in addition to seeking compensation through insurance. Reviewing long-term medical and career consequences of limb loss with a skilled legal team can help people pursue compensation after a wreck.
