Houston Amputation Attorneys

The Cost of an Amputation Injury

Losing a limb due to a catastrophic accident can leave people in pain and anguish for years or even a lifetime, making it harder for them to earn a living. Even with the right financial resources in place, limb prosthetics can cost tens of thousands—not including the time spent adjusting to using it, the hours of physical therapy, and the lost work efficiency.

The effects of amputation include, but are not limited to, the following:

One study found that amputees faced tens of thousands of dollars in care costs on average from hospital and professional fees without accounting for prosthetic costs. When the cost of using/buying prosthetics was added in, patients’ lifetime expenses reached six figures on average. Just for treatment—not counseling, emotional pain and suffering, the loss of a career, or the grief that comes from losing a piece of yourself.

Accounting for Long-Term Costs That Can Result from Amputations

The resulting imbalance that results after an amputation can create additional accident risks as well as degenerative conditions, such as osteoarthritis, osteopenia, and osteoporosis. In these cases, cartilage gets worn away, triggering additional joint pain, and bone mass shrinks, leading to weakened, brittle bones that can easily fracture.

One of the ways to mitigate these risks is finding the right prosthetic, but this in and of itself can be a grueling process. Prosthetics can help mitigate long-term, secondary conditions, but until they fit right and provide proper realignment and balance, prosthetics themselves can lead to radiating pain, blisters, and risks of falls. The compensation someone receives for an amputation should cover past, current, and anticipated future costs. You cannot afford to settle for inadequate, low compensation that doesn't account for all of your amputation-related expenses and damages.

This can include receiving compensation for the following:

The loss of a limb is mental, physical, and emotional.    
The results of your case should fully reflect that.

What Is a Crush Injury?

Crush injuries occur when intense or sustained compression inflicts harm on muscles, blood vessels, nerves, bones, and tissues. About three-quarters of these injuries impact the legs, while around 10% involve the arms. These injuries vary widely in severity. They can range from minor incidents, like shutting a finger in a door, to severe cases leading to long-term disability or even fatality. In extreme situations, the damage to bones and muscles may be so extensive that the affected limb becomes irreparable, necessitating amputation. While some lesser injuries might be manageable without medical intervention, many crush injuries demand immediate medical care to avoid grave complications.

Crush injuries can lead to other serious medical consequences such as:

Why Crush Injuries Are Dangerous & Potentially Fatal

When a crush injury occurs, abnormal compression forces disrupt the chemical balance of the muscle cells. This disruption damages the structures in the cell membranes that are responsible for pumping calcium and potassium into the cells and removing sodium from the cells, which can break the muscle cell membrane and cause cell death. When this happens, muscles break down and release a protein into the blood known as myoglobin. 

This release leads to rhabdomyolysis, which results in low blood pressure and vomiting. 

If rhabdomyolysis is not treated immediately, it can lead to:

• Kidney failure
• Toxic shock
• Fatal injury

Medical intervention is required and surgery may be needed to repair tissue damage. Sadly, amputation may be the only effective medical treatment in some cases. One of the reasons crush injuries are so devastating is the long-term impact suffered by the victims. Crush injuries can lead to intense, constant pain, and even the potential of permanent pain—also known as Complex Regional Pain Syndrome (CRPS) or Reflex Sympathetic Dystrophy (RSD).

Common Causes of Amputation & Crushing Injuries

Some of the most common sources of amputation and crush injuries come from:

One of the key reasons that work injuries account for so many amputations is the use of heavy equipment, especially in construction and industrial settings. When machinery with moving parts is used, employers are required to make sure all equipment is safe to operate and well-maintained. Workers must be trained in the proper methods of operation, cleaning, and maintenance of the equipment to prevent crushing injury. They must be provided with equipment and tools that reduce the danger of amputation and crush injuries and must be adequately trained in their proper use.

Amputation and crushing injuries in the workplace usually involve:

• Parts of moving machinery
• Powered doors
• Debris
• Forklifts
• Heavy loads being dropped

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, there were 6,200 workers in 2018 who needed amputations after workplace accidents. Nearly 60% of these nonfatal amputations were due to machinery.

Amputation & Crush Injuries on Oil Rigs

With all of the heavy machinery that workers operate, it is no surprise that amputations are some of the most common injuries reported on oil rigs. After drilling begins, pipes are added to keep up with the deepening of the well. Unsecured drill pipes can roll and injure workers. It is important for workers to be educated on good lifting techniques with heavy drilling parts. Workers should also try to keep away from rotating parts and follow safe lifting and hoisting procedures.

A Great Track Record in Amputation & Crush Injury Cases

At Arnold & Itkin, we have helped many people get the financial recovery they need, even in complex cases and against formidable defendants. No matter the legal challenges, our amputation attorneys know what it takes to make sure our clients get the money they need for comprehensive medical care and moving forward in life.

In addition to our record-setting verdict mentioned earlier, we have also recovered:

• $16.5 million for a crane rigger who sustained a crushed pelvis from a crane load falling on him
• $12 million for a truck driver who was crushed by cargo while unloading and then suffered a stroke
• $9.5 million for a longshoreman who was seriously injured in an industrial crane accident and needed his leg amputated
• $9.25 million for a young man who suffered a traumatic leg amputation when a delivery truck hit him
• $6.75 million for a worker who had to have his left leg amputated after a pipe cleaning accident, which was due to a company failure to perform safety checks
• $6.5 million for a barge crew member whose face was crushed by a cage that fell after a faulty cable snapped
• $5.5 million for a contractor whose arm was crushed by a faulty pipe rack
• $4 million for a mariner who had to amputate a lower leg because of an infection brought on by contaminated water on the vessel where he worked
• $3 million for a worker whose right hand and arm were crushed on the job

While each case is different, and we can't make guarantees about specific outcomes, we can guarantee that we bring the same tireless fight and drive to each case we take on. Our legal team can provide you with the resources and determination it takes to get answers and pursue justice.

Speak with Our Houston Amputation Injury Lawyers: (888) 493-1629

Proving that negligence caused the crush injury, the amputation, or even lead to a situation that necessitated amputation means one thing: the ability to start over without fear or stress. At Arnold & Itkin, are here to help fight for the resources you need: quality medical care, recovered lost wages, and long-term rehabilitation.

People turn to our Houston catastrophic injury attorneys because:

• We have won billions of dollars for our clients.
• We have set state and national records with our victories.
• We have won hundreds of case results worth $1 million or more.
• We have won cases for our clients in more than 40 states.

The Houston amputation lawyers at Arnold & Itkin have helped our clients rebuild their lives—to provide for their families, find new careers, and keep their homes. Our work has helped people find hope again. Together, we can fight to hold your wrongdoer accountable and force them to do right by you and your loved ones. No matter what.

Call (888) 493-1629 or contact us online to tell us what happened. We can fight to help you rebuild your life.