Should I Retain a San Diego, CA Personal Injury Attorney if I Had a Limb Amputated After a Collision?

Limb amputations are often needed after serious accidents when a part of the body suffers irreparable trauma. Sometimes, victims are required to have an emergency amputation performed following a car crash if the limb is unable to be saved. If a limb does not have to be amputated directly after a crash but needs to be removed at a later time, a physician should fully assess it before surgery “to identify the most suitable type of amputation and any factors that may affect your rehabilitation” [Source: National Health Service].

An amputation is a major injury that may require a lifetime of specialized care and medical needs. In pursuing a personal injury case for such an injury, highly specialized experts, such as orthopedic physicians, psychiatrists, psychologists, life care planners, biomechanical and biomedical engineers, will also be needed to prove all aspects of the personal injury case.

In any complex case, such as an amputation, retention of a highly qualified attorney is always recommended so as to best protect the interests of the victim.

After surgery, then comes the recovery process.

According to the National Health Service, the “rehabilitation process is an important part of the recovery process.” If you are currently going through physical therapy or just started it, you may have already begun to see how difficult it can be. While rehabilitation can be “long, [hard], and frustrating,” it is important to push through and stay strong so that you can return to work and carry out your days similar to how you did before the accident, if at all possible.

While attending rehabilitation, you “will work closely with physiotherapists and occupational therapists who will discuss with you what you’d like to achieve from rehabilitation so that some realistic goals can be set.” In order for rehab to be effective, it is important that your program is “tailored to your individual needs” so that you are able to do “many of your normal activities as possible.”

Some of the things most rehabilitation programs aim to do include:

• Teach you exercises while lying down or sitting.
• Help you move around.
• Teach you how to get around with a wheelchair if necessary.
• Learn exercises that will “help you maintain your mobility and muscle strength.”
• Teach you how to use your prosthetic if you receive one.

Important: The information provided above aims to give you a general idea of what rehabilitation is like for most amputees, however, your physician should create an individualized care plan for you that may or may not include some of the things listed above.

Prosthetic limbs are meant to restore certain abilities an amputee would otherwise no longer have without their limb. While many prefer to get a prosthetic limb after having an amputation performed, they “are not suitable for everyone who’s had an amputation because an extensive course of physiotherapy and rehabilitation is required.” The National Health Service says that it can also take a significant amount of energy to adjust to life with a prosthetic limb “because you have to compensate for the loss of muscle and bone in the amputated limb.”

Therefore, the source suggests that those who are frail or suffer from a serious health condition “might not be suitable for a prosthetic limb.” For those that want to get a prosthetic limb, the type will depend on the following:

• The type of amputation you had performed.
• The amount of muscle strength that is remaining in the section of the limb.
• Your overall health.
• The tasks you expect to perform with the prosthetic limb.
• Whether you are more concerned with how the prosthetic looks or if you care more about how it functions.

Medical devices along with medical care can be extremely costly for an amputee, especially if you do not have insurance or did not file a personal injury claim against the driver who caused the accident. If you are unable to afford the medical devices (i.e. prosthetic limb) you need but are interested in learning more about what you can do to recover the money that would help you get them, you should contact The Law Offices of Bruce S. Meth to speak with a San Diego, CA personal injury attorney.

The personal injury lawyers at our firm know how difficult and frustrating life can be for an amputee and we are aware of the psychological impact an amputation can have on your life. That is why we are here to help you overcome many of the obstacles you may have been faced with including, but not limited to:

1. Obtaining the medical devices that can make getting around and completing tasks easier.
2. Affording physical therapy from the best therapists
3. Recovering additional compensation to make up for the other losses you incurred.

Now, if you are ready to speak with one of our CA personal injury attorneys to find out what you can do to recoup the compensation you need, contact our office at (619) 691-8942.