The DJF Law Firm, PLLC

Houston Amputation Injury Lawyers

If you sustained an amputation injury in an accident someone else caused, contact The DJF Law Firm, PLLC immediately. You might be entitled to compensation from the person or company responsible for the accident.

An amputation injury is life changing. It can upend your entire life and create challenges. You must relearn how to perform basic tasks. The medical care you require could be expensive and cause financial strain. If you can’t afford your bills, you could face significant debt.

The at-fault party should be liable for your injury. The DJF Law Firm, PLLC might be able to represent you in your case. We will protect your rights and work hard to obtain the compensation you deserve. Call us today at 832-529-3476 for your free consultation with one of our knowledgeable and dedicated Houston amputation injury lawyers.

Common Types of Amputation Injuries

An amputation occurs when a doctor surgically removes all or a portion of a limb or extremity. A catastrophic accident could require a surgical amputation of a leg, arm, foot, or another body part. Amputation also occurs in accidents.

Sometimes, surgical amputations are necessary because doctors can’t repair the damage to nerves, tissue, and other structures at the injury site. Amputations can also result from trauma. If the limb is severed before a surgeon treats the person, the surgeon will clean, neaten, and close the wound.

Two main types of amputation include:

  • Traumatic amputation – Typically, a traumatic amputation results from some type of accident, such as a car crash or explosion. Sometimes, reattaching a limb or extremity is possible with surgery. However, if the doctor can’t save that part of the body, they must close the wound without reattachment.
  • Surgical amputation –When the tissue in an affected body part begins to die, and significant blood loss occurs, amputation may be required to prevent complications and additional tissue damage.

Sepsis or infection could also make amputation necessary. Amputating a limb might be the only way to prevent an infection from spreading throughout the body and causing further damage.

Below are the multiple types of amputations a person could need depending on the severity of the injury and affected body parts.

Upper Extremity Amputations

Amputation of an upper extremity involves a limb on the upper half of the body, such as an arm. The doctor will perform a total or partial amputation depending on the extent of the damage. The different types of upper extremity amputations include:

  • Transhumeral amputation – An amputation above the elbow
  • Elbow disarticulation – Amputating the forearm through or at the elbow
  • Transradial amputation – Amputation of the arm below the elbow
  • Shoulder disarticulation – Amputating the whole arm at the shoulder
  • Forequarter amputation Amputating the arm at the shoulder, including the shoulder blade and collarbone
  • Wrist disarticulation – Amputating the hand and wrist
  • Transcarpal amputation – Amputation of part of the hand or a finger

Lower Extremity Amputations

Amputation of the lower extremity involves a limb on the lower part of the body. The most common types of lower extremity amputations include:

  • Midfoot amputation – Amputating half of the foot and toes but keeping the heel and ankle joints intact
  • Transtibial amputation – Amputating below the knee
  • Knee disarticulation – Amputating the leg through the knee
  • Hip disarticulation – Amputation of the leg at the hip joint
  • Transfemoral disarticulation – Amputating the entire area of the hip joint
  • Transfemoral amputation‒Amputation above the knee
  • Hemipelvectomy – Amputation of the entire leg and part of the pelvis to the sacrum
  • Toe amputation – Amputating one or multiple toes

The medical treatment you need for an amputation will depend on various factors. Your doctor can evaluate your condition and advise you about the type of care you should seek to treat your injury. If you need an entire limb amputated, you will likely need rehabilitation or physical therapy. Relearning to walk with only one leg or using a prosthesis requires medical assistance.

Some people don’t face a long recovery time. Getting back to routine daily life might be possible after amputating a finger or toe. However, losing a leg or arm is devastating and could take months or years to adapt to.

After an accident in which you lose a limb or might need a surgical amputation, your doctor can advise you about your available options and create a treatment plan to meet your needs.

Common Causes of Amputation Injuries

Amputations can occur under various circumstances. You could lose an arm in a car wreck or suffer a severed leg during an industrial accident. The reason amputation injuries happen depends on contributing factors. The most common causes of amputations are listed below.

Car Accidents

Accidents between a car and a pedestrian, bicyclist, motorcyclist, or another vehicle can seriously injure anyone involved. Pedestrians and bikers are at risk of amputation due to the trauma their bodies suffer during a collision. Unlike the occupants of a car, they don’t have a metal frame protecting them from flying debris.

Car accidents commonly result from human error, such as:

  • Failing to check blind spots before merging
  • Speeding
  • Driving under the influence
  • Tailgating
  • Distracted driving

Premises Liability

An accident on someone’s property could lead to an amputation injury. Dangerous property conditions could endanger visitors. The property owner’s responsibility is to ensure their property is safe for guests. An amputation injury could occur due to hazards such as:

  • Exposure to toxic substances
  • Collapsing balcony or roof
  • Inadequate lighting in a stairwell
  • Malfunctioning escalator or elevator

Truck Accidents

Large trucks, such as tractor-trailers, tower over other vehicles. They’re heavy and can cause significant damage in an accident. When a small car collides with a commercial truck, the occupants in the smaller vehicle could become trapped or crushed. Traumatic amputations might occur, or surgical amputations might be necessary for situations involving:

  • Jackknife accidents
  • Rollover accidents
  • Underride accidents
  • T-bone collisions
  • Head-on collisions

Workplace Accidents

Some employees are at a greater risk of severe injury than others. Certain occupations carry a level of danger. For example, construction workers regularly encounter hazards on the job. They use heavy machinery and work high off the ground. Despite taking safety precautions, accidents could happen.

An amputation injury might occur in an occupational setting due to factors such as:

  • Falling from a raised platform
  • Using a poorly maintained crane or other equipment
  • Getting a limb stuck in malfunctioning machinery
  • Getting pinned beneath an unsecured beam or scaffolding
  • Using a sharp tool with a missing safety guard

Boating Accidents

Boaters, swimmers, and anyone else on or in the water could get hurt in a boating accident. Collisions aren’t the only scenario that can lead to an amputation injury. A range of other incidents could cause life-threatening injuries and lead to traumatic or surgical amputation. The most common include:

  • Explosion on the boat
  • Contact with a propeller while swimming in the water
  • Electrocution from touching exposed electrical wires
  • Being pinned between two boats during a crash
  • A boat overturning after running aground

If your amputation injury resulted from any type of accident due to someone else’s carelessness or reckless behavior, do not hesitate to contact The DJF Law Firm, PLLC. Our Houston amputation injury lawyers know how to investigate various types of incidents to determine fault and hold negligent parties liable for their misconduct.

Compensation Available for an Amputation Injury

Treating an amputation injury is costly. The expenses you incur from the accident can cause significant stress and drain your finances. You should not be responsible for your medical bills and other costs when someone else is at fault for what happened to you.

The DJF Law Firm, PLLC can file an insurance claim or lawsuit on your behalf and pursue the maximum possible compensation. We will aggressively fight to hold the person or company accountable, so you don’t suffer additional consequences because of their actions.

The money you recover in an amputation injury case might compensate you for your:

  • Mental anguish
  • Pain and suffering
  • Surgery, rehabilitation, and other medical bills
  • Lost wages
  • Lost earning capacity
  • Physical impairment or disfigurement
  • Costs related to hiring household assistance
  • Damage to personal property

In a lawsuit, you could also seek exemplary damages. This financial award punishes the defendant and deters similar misconduct in the future. You must provide clear and convincing evidence that the defendant acted with gross negligence, fraud, or malice for the judge or jury to award this to you.

Deadline to File a Lawsuit for an Amputation Injury

You don’t have much time to sue the person responsible for your amputation injury. In Texas, the statute of limitations allows a two-year timeframe to file a lawsuit for compensation. That means you have only two years from the date of the incident to initiate your lawsuit against the at-fault party.

Contact Us

The DJF Law Firm, PLLC fights for the rights of injured clients in Houston. We believe in holding individuals and entities liable for the suffering and hardships they cause. When you hire us, you will have an experienced and dedicated legal team in your corner to be your advocate. We will pursue the justice and compensation you deserve.

If someone’s negligence caused your amputation injury in an accident, call The DJF Law Firm, PLLC for your free consultation at 832-529-3476 today. One of our Houston amputation injury lawyers can review the circumstances of your case and determine what we can do for you.