St. Louis Amputation and Loss of Limbs Attorneys
The loss of a limb goes beyond physical trauma and medical bills. It can have long-term effects on your ability to work and provide for your family. According to the Amputee Coalition, there are around 2.3 million people living with limb loss in the U.S. Every year, an additional 465,000 people in America will experience limb loss.
Losing a limb in an accident can be devastating. Not only is it extremely traumatic, but it can also result in infection, lifelong disability, extreme physical pain, and intense emotional distress. This type of injury is among the most significant people can experience, and we believe victims of this type of accident should be fully compensated for what they’ve experienced.
If you or someone you love suffered an amputation due to an accident or injury, know that the St. Louis amputation and loss of limb lawyers at Cofman Townsley are here to help. We’ll give your claim the attention, dedication, and urgency it deserves. Contact us now to learn how we can help.
Common Causes of Amputation Injuries in St. Louis
Amputation injuries are rare, but they’re a possibility in many types of accidents. Some of the most common accidents and scenarios that can result in partial or complete amputations include:
- Motor Vehicle Accidents: Car, motorcycle, and truck accidents are leading causes of traumatic amputations. The impact and force of a collision can sever limbs or cause severe tissue damage that makes surgical amputation necessary. Truck accidents, in particular, are more likely to result in catastrophic injuries due to the size and weight of the commercial vehicles involved.
- Workplace and Industrial Accidents: Jobs involving heavy machinery, power tools, or construction equipment pose a serious amputation injury risk. Workers can suffer amputations when machinery is used improperly, safety protocols are ignored, or employers fail to provide proper training and protective equipment.
- Defective Products: Some consumer products, such as power tools, as well as defective medical devices, can cause severe injuries that lead to amputation. When manufacturers create defectively designed products, fail to test their products adequately, or fail to warn about potential risks, users can suffer preventable injuries.
Types of Amputation Injuries
There are four primary types of amputation injuries:
Traumatic Amputations
Traumatic amputations occur when a limb or extremity is severed during an accident or as a result of sudden force. These amputations are often seen in:
- Motor Vehicle Accidents: High-impact crashes can result in the partial or complete loss of limbs.
- Workplace Accidents: Heavy machinery, equipment malfunctions, or construction accidents often cause traumatic amputations.
- Severe Crush Injuries: When a limb is crushed beyond repair, immediate amputation may be unavoidable.
Surgical Amputations
Surgical amputations occur when a medical professional determines that removing part of a limb is necessary to save a patient’s life or prevent further complications. These amputations are typically the result of:
- Severe Infections: Untreated infections, particularly after an injury or surgery, can lead to tissue death, requiring amputation.
- Medical Malpractice: Delayed treatment, misdiagnoses, or errors during surgery may result in avoidable amputations.
Partial Amputations
A partial amputation involves the removal of part of a limb or extremity while some tissue, muscle, or bone remains attached. These injuries may allow for later reattachment through surgery in certain cases, but they often result in permanent disability.
Complete Amputations
Complete amputations occur when the limb or extremity is fully severed. In these cases, reattachment is rarely possible, and victims often require prosthetic devices to restore mobility.
The Impacts of Limb Loss
Limb loss is a life-altering experience that affects every aspect of a person’s life. Beyond the immediate physical challenges, amputees often face overwhelming emotional, financial, and social difficulty.
These challenges include:
- Physical Challenges: Loss of mobility, strength, and independence is common after amputation injuries, especially during the recovery period. Many amputees require prosthetic devices, assistive equipment, and ongoing physical therapy to adapt to their new reality.
- Emotional and Psychological Impact: Coping with limb loss can lead to depression, anxiety, and feelings of isolation. The sudden change in appearance and physical abilities often take a toll on a person’s self-esteem and mental health.
- Financial Strain: The costs associated with medical treatment, prosthetics, rehabilitation, and ongoing care can be significant and too much for many victims to bear. Additionally, many amputees are unable to return to their previous jobs, resulting in lost income and reduced earning capacity.
- Impact on Daily Life: Activities that were once routine, such as dressing, walking, driving, and caretaking of dependents, may require significant adjustment, assistance, or accommodations.
Recovering Amputation and Loss of Limb Damages
If you’ve lost a limb due to an accident, our Missouri and Southern Illinois amputation attorneys can help protect your rights to compensation for your damages, such as:
- Lost Wages: Losing a limb can prevent you from performing the types of work you did before your accident. Our amputation attorneys will calculate the value of your wage loss—including the value of your future lost earnings.
- Medical Bills: The costs of surgical procedures, medications, and hospital stays can add up fast. Future physical therapy and expensive medications may also be necessary.
- Pain and Suffering: Losing a limb causes emotional and physical trauma and suffering, and requires relearning tasks you’ve done your entire life.
At Cofman Townsley, we prepare every case as if it is going to trial, and we use that tireless effort to get you the compensation you deserve.
You Need Experienced Legal Representation
If someone else’s negligence caused an accident that resulted in amputation or the loss of a limb, Cofman Townsley wants to help you get the compensation you need to cover your expenses and support your family. Complete a free initial consultation form to speak to a member of our legal team today.
We have more than 50 years of experience helping injured victims throughout Missouri and Southern Illinois, and we know what needs to happen to get you a successful result. Our lawyers believe personal injury law is about more than getting you money—it’s also about improving the lives of neighbors like you. Give us a call at (314) 499-1190, and let us begin working on your claim today.