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For over thirty years, our Orange County California amputation lawyers at DiMarco | Araujo | Montevideo have worked hard to help their clients receive their due compensation. Amputations are difficult no matter which body part is lost. We want to meet with you to discuss your amputation case regardless of whether it is due to you being hurt at work, from a disease, deformity, or traumatic event. We will represent you for the whole range of amputation cases from workers’ compensation claims and personal injury cases to work injury cases. Contact our personal injury attorneys in OC today at (714) 783-2205 for a free consultation.
Amputations are the purposeful or traumatic removal of a hand, foot, arm, leg, toe, or finger. Seventy percent of all amputations are caused by disease while trauma causes twenty-two percent. Birth defects (congenital) and tumors both cause four percent each. Finger amputations, toe amputations, and foot amputations are more common than leg amputations and arm amputations. When done surgically, they are performed with general anesthesia. They are either scheduled or done due to an emergency like an arterial embolism. An orthopedic or general surgeon will typically perform the surgery.
An amputation patient/victim should be honest with themselves regarding what level of counseling support they need in addition to the medical support.
Amputations affect all of the body’s extremities from the leg or foot amputation to the finger or hand amputation. Amputations can be categorized into two groups: upper body and lower body amputations.
The upper body amputations mainly include body parts from the shoulder down to the fingers. The most common amputations for the arm include arm amputation, above-elbow amputation (transhumeral), elbow disarticulation, shoulder disarticulation, forequarter amputation, and forearm amputation (transradial). The amputations around the hand region include hand amputation, metacarpal amputation, wrist disarticulation, and finger amputations including pointer finger amputation, middle finger amputation, ring finger amputation, pinky amputation and thumb amputation (or it could be a multi-digit amputation where it includes amputating more than one finger).
Lower body amputations involve a person’s extremities from the toes up to the pelvis region. The list of potential amputations throughout the leg includes whole leg amputation, above-knee amputation (transradial), knee-bearing amputation, and below-knee amputation (transtibial). The possible amputations throughout the feet include foot amputation, partial foot amputation, ankle disarticulation, or toe amputation. All amputations may have phantom pain where the patient believes they are feeling pain in the lost extremity.
Our experienced auto accident lawyers have seen amputation cases stem from motor vehicle accidents as well as a variety of other traumatic events, including:
The reasons to have an amputation done by surgery are vast. The most common reasons include work injuries, cancerous tumors, melanoma, gangrene, frostbite, deformities like an extra finger or extra toe, severe trauma, diabetes, osteomyelitis (deep bone infection), and impaired circulation. Buerger’s disease and Raynaud’s disease are two additional reasons amputations could be considered and elected.
Injuries at work can be devastating due to the heavy equipment like power tools and diverse working conditions. An example from OSHA is that basically half of all injuries resulting from the punch press require amputation. Many other work machines and equipment have high rates of injuries that cause amputations including conveyor belts, meat grinders, and table saws. It is critical to consult with lawyers who have experience in workers’ compensation as well as personal injury if you have been hurt while on the job or at your job site. We can maximize the scope of your case so you receive your full and fair compensation. Even injury events at work as severe as those that amputate or require amputation could qualify for work injury cases as there could be a Third Party who is also partially responsible. The work injury attorneys of DiMarco | Araujo | Montevideo will delve into your case to ensure all the bases are covered.
A diabetic patient has a 15 to 40 times bigger chance of having foot or leg amputation than a person without diabetes. This is mainly due to the poor circulation from diabetes in a person’s lower extremities. Specifically, the decreased circulation can help cause infection and gangrene. The International Diabetes Foundation has declared that over 80,000 foot and/or leg amputations have happened annually because of diabetes (in the USA).
Though over the last few decades, amputations have become a lot safer and more successful, fifteen percent of all amputees still get an infection after the surgery. Patients are given antibiotics to help fight infection and pain medication. Physical therapy will start as soon as it is possible so the patient can get their body moving while learning how to use their body under new circumstances. Amputees should focus on healing emotionally as well as physically as amputation can be a hard procedure to go through mentally.
The initial consultations and case evaluations are completely free so you can speak with a lawyer and discuss your specific case. Additionally, we will work for you and fight your case on a contingency basis. This means that you will not owe or pay us anything until we win your case and you are awarded compensation. You will not owe us anything if we do not win your case. The Orange County amputation attorneys at DiMarco | Araujo | Montevideo will meet you at our office, your own home, or your own room at the hospital. Contact us today online or call us at (714) 783-2205 to schedule your free consultation.