Amputation Work Injury Accident Claim Solicitor

Our specialist personal injury lawyers have extensive experience in work injury cases involving traumatic amputations. We make it risk-free to bring your claim by operating on a no win no fee arrangement, which means that your solicitors only get paid if they win your case. You are not responsible for funding or financing the claim.

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Facts

Men are at a higher risk for traumatic amputations than women, making up approximately 80% of all traumatic amputation victims. Most traumatic amputation victims are between the ages of 15 and 40. Some of the most common incidents that lead to traumatic amputations are motor vehicle accidents, construction site accidents and work injury accidents. Individuals whose jobs involve working with power tools and heavy machinery are at a particularly high risk of a work injury amputation accident.

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Complete or Incomplete

A traumatic amputation is an injury involving the accidental severing of a body part. Amputations fall into one of two categories: complete or incomplete. A complete amputation occurs when the amputated body part is entirely severed from the body, meaning no muscles, ligaments or tissues remain connected to the body. With a partial amputation, a ligament, muscle or tendon remains intact and the amputated part is still connected to the body.

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Classification

Amputations are categorized is being either proximal or distal. A proximal amputation is one that involves a body part that is closely attached to the body’s core, such as a leg that has been amputated at the hip or an arm that has been amputated at the shoulder. A distal amputation occurs when the amputated part is further from the core, such as an amputation of the toes or fingers. Distal amputations are the more common of the two.

A third way that amputations are described is as being simple or complex. With a complex traumatic amputation, further complications are present, such as shock or other injuries. A simple amputation is one in which additional complications are not present.

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Reattachment

Depending on the nature and severity of the amputation, it is sometimes possible to reattach the amputated part to the victim’s body. In order to assess the likelihood that the reattachment will be successful, a diagnostic tool known as the Mangled Extremity Severity Score (MESS) is used. Note that the MESS is used only in cases of lower limb amputations. The MESS takes into account the following four factors :-

• severity of the injury
• ischemia (whether a pulse is present in the amputated body part)
• presence of shock
• victim’s age

MESS scores range from 2 to 14. A MESS score of 7 points or higher indicates that the limb must be amputated. If the score is 6 or less, there is a good chance that reattachment will be successful. In calculating the score, the final number is automatically doubled if there has been little to no blood supply to the amputated body part for more than six hours.

In determining whether to attempt reattachment, the surgeon also takes into account the patient’s overall lifestyle and personal wishes. The surgeon will evaluate the effect the amputation would have on the victim’s ability to perform daily tasks as well as its effect on the victim’s quality of life.

In addition to the MESS, other diagnostic tools that can be used include :-

• predictive salvage index PSI
• mangled extremity syndrome index MESI
• limb salvage index LSI
• nerve injury, ischemia, soft-tissue contamination, skeletal damage, shock, age NISSA

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Symptoms and Complications

Traumatic amputations are potentially fatal injuries. Shock can result from massive blood loss, or the site of the amputation may become infected. Other potential physical symptoms and complications include :-

• muscle contracture
• pulmonary embolism
• skin problems
• limited range of motion in reattached body part
• pain
• edema
• wound breakdown
• neurological problems
• phantom limb sensations

In addition to these physical complications, victims of traumatic amputations also suffer great emotional distress. Self-esteem and body image issues can be just as damaging to the victim as the physical effects of the amputation. To ensure that the victim receives full compensation for their injuries, both the physical and emotional effects of the amputation must be addressed.

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Legal Advice Without Obligation

If you or a loved one has been the victim of a traumatic amputation in a work injury accident, contact us today. One of our specialist catastrophic injury lawyers will provide you with free legal advice on your potential claim. If you would like free advice just complete the contact form or email our offices and a lawyer will telephone to give information on how to protect your legal right to claim compensation with no further obligation.