Traumatic Amputation Attorneys in Lancaster, PA
Legal help for victims of limb loss and amputation injury
Losing a limb is one of the most life-altering and disabling injuries one can experience. This is a permanent injury, affecting a person for the rest of their life. It can cause a person to lose their livelihood, their favorite hobbies, their social circle, and cause a variety of health complications. If you or a loved one experienced limb loss or traumatic amputation due to someone’s negligence, you should have experienced legal counsel on your side.
KBG Injury Law in Lancaster wants to help. Our team of personal injury attorneys works with victims of limb loss and their families across Southeast Pennsylvania, helping secure financial compensation for their injuries. We understand the nature of a catastrophic injury – the lifelong expenses, chronic pain, and emotional trauma – as well as the need to hold the right people accountable. Let us help you secure both the compensation and justice to which you are entitled.
How can we help?
- What is loss of limb and traumatic amputation?
- What types of incidents cause amputation and limb loss?
- What are the long-term complications of limb loss injuries?
- What’s the value of my Lancaster traumatic amputation claim?
- How long do I have to file a personal injury claim in Lancaster?
- Is there a traumatic amputation attorney near me?
What is loss of limb and traumatic amputation?
“Traumatic” amputation means loss of a body part or limb as a result of a sudden accident or injury. This loss of limb can occur at the site of the accident or incident, or later surgically at the hospital, as a result of the trauma.
According to the Amputee Coalition, 45 percent of all amputees in the United States lost limbs as a result of trauma (as opposed to health causes). The vast majority of amputations occur in the lower limbs, at 65 percent, with the upper limb amputation at 35 percent.
What types of incidents cause amputation and limb loss?
Any type of serious accident can cause a traumatic amputation injury. When the Lancaster attorneys at KBG Injury Law take your case, we work to determine the exact cause of your injury and who was responsible. Common accidents and incidents leading to limb loss include:
- Vehicle accidents. Car, motorcycle, and truck accidents can all lead to devastating injuries like traumatic amputation. When a car crash leads to rollovers, ejection from the vehicle, or crushing injuries, occupants or riders are at risk of losing a limb.
- Burn injuries. Burn injuries can often be so severe the affected limb requires surgical amputation. This can happen with third-degree burns or higher, where the nerves, muscle, and bone suffer overwhelming damage.
- Workplace injuries. Worksite accidents cause a great deal of catastrophic injuries each year, including traumatic amputation. Accidents with heavy machinery, crushing injuries, and motor vehicle accidents can all lead to these types of injuries, especially when negligent lack of safety is involved.
- Medical malpractice. In the worst cases of medical negligence and malpractice, a surgeon may perform an amputation on the wrong limb – or even the wrong patient. In other cases, a patient may lose a limb due to a preventable infection caused by medical negligence.
- Explosions and firearms. Fireworks, explosives, or guns put individuals at risk of losing an extremity, especially when an operator is reckless, negligent, or inexperienced. These types of accidents also occur with malfunctioning and defective products.
No matter how your injury happened, our Lancaster attorneys understand that the effects of limb loss last long after the initial accident.
What are the long-term complications of limb loss injuries?
The immediate effects of an amputation injury are immediate. However, even after the initial trauma has healed, limb loss patients have a high risk of future complications, including:
- Infections. The wound area is always at risk of breaking down and becoming infected. Untreated infections can cause blood clots and other life-threatening health effects, including further loss of the remaining limb.
- Further loss of mobility. Loss of a limb means loss of mobility. Many patients can be fitted with a prosthetic limb; however, this does not replace the loss of a body part and the fine motor movements that come along with it. Many patients struggle with tasks requiring dexterity or balance.
- Phantom pain. Stump and phantom limb pain is a real and documented phenomenon among amputees. Patients describe feeling this pain in their amputated body part as “shooting, stabbing, cramping, pins and needles, crushing, throbbing, or burning.” This has to do with tangled brain signals post-amputation.
- Extreme fatigue. Patients need increased energy to use a prosthetic limb, perform tasks with less mobility, and work through chronic pain every day. They may also find themselves fatigued by prescription medications.
- Psychological trauma. The emotional after-effects of a traumatic amputation can leave a person reeling. Patients may grapple with post-traumatic stress disorder, grief, loss of enjoyment of life, and other issues. Often, limb loss patients find counseling beneficial.
No matter what type of care you or your loved one require, the attorneys at KBG Injury Law will work to ensure you have all the resources you need.
What’s the value of my Lancaster traumatic amputation claim?
Although every accident, every person, and every injury is different, one universal truth is that amputation injuries are catastrophic. Limb loss injuries are irreversible, and when another person or party’s negligence cause those injuries, you deserve both help and accountability. At KBG Injury Law, we seek financial compensation for a variety of damages, including:
- Medical expenses, current and future. This includes hospital bills, surgeries, and follow-up care for the rest of your life.
- Lost wages, and loss of future earning potential.
- Assistive devices, including prosthetic devices and accommodations for your home and/or vehicle. This compensation includes replacements and upgrades.
- Scarring and disfigurement.
- Pain and suffering and reduced quality of life.
In cases of egregious or intentional negligence, the court may also award punitive damages. Our attorneys take all of this into consideration when determining the proper amount of consideration to which you are entitled. We can explain all of this in more detail in a consultation.
How long do I have to file a personal injury claim in Lancaster?
The statute of limitations to file an injury claim for loss of limb here in Pennsylvania is two years after the date of the accident or incident. If you, as the plaintiff, fail to bring a claim within two years, you are in jeopardy of losing your case. This is why it is important to get in touch with an informed attorney as soon as possible after an accident that was not your fault, to ensure you meet every deadline.
Is there a traumatic amputation injury attorney near me?
KBG Injury Law is centrally located on 1776 Harrisburg Pike, near Good Drive in Lancaster, PA. We also maintain four locations throughout South Central Pennsylvania.
Experienced Lancaster limb loss attorneys
The traumatic amputation lawyers at KBG Injury Law understand what a catastrophic injury entails. It means years, or a lifetime, of medical expenses and health challenges. It means needing to hold the right people accountable for the actions that caused your injury. We cannot give you back what you have lost, but we can work to make things right. To find out how we can help, contact us today for a free initial consultation. Call 717-848-3838 or fill out our contact form. We have offices in York, Lancaster, Gettysburg, Harrisburg, and Hanover, and proudly serve clients throughout South Central Pennsylvania.