Sideswipe Injuries Can Cause Amputation
I’m Ed Smith, a Personal Injury Lawyer in Sacramento. For many teenagers, learning how to drive and getting their license is seen as a rite of passage. Most parents ingrain into their children’s minds that accidents and injuries can happen when someone gets behind the wheel of a car. While some injuries are relatively minor, such as scrapes, bruises, or lacerations, others can be severe or even life-threatening. Some car accidents can lead to someone sustaining an amputation injury.
A team of medical professionals published a recent article discussing how amputation injuries can take place in an auto accident. The researchers reviewed numerous case reports from their local area and found that sideswipe injuries appear to cause amputation at higher rates. These rates also seemed to increase during the warmer months. During their investigation, they found that people often had their arms or legs hanging outside of the window or door of their motor vehicle. For example, one case described someone who had his arm sticking out of the window when a garbage truck collided with his side of the car. This led to almost a complete tear of all of the major nerves, arteries, and blood vessels in his arm. He had to be rushed to the operating room for emergency surgery so that his arm could be amputated before he bled to death. The article closed with some simple recommendations to prevent these injuries, including:
- Keeping the window rolled up halfway.
- Maintaining all limbs inside the vehicle.
- Ensuring that the door is closed while the car is in motion.
Amputation Statistics
According to Access Prosthetics, some of the critical statistics related to amputation include:
- More than 2 million people are living in the United States with an amputation.
- Between 300 and 500 amputation procedures are performed on a daily basis.
- More than 30% of people with limb loss experience a mental health condition.
- 85% of leg amputations are preceded by some sort of foot ulcer.
- More than half of the patients who have a leg amputated due to diabetes will lose their second leg within three years.
A Lawyer Can Provide Help
As people are recovering from a severe injury, they often wonder how this injury occurred and what they should do to prevent this from happening again. Speaking with a personal injury attorney in Sacramento can help families review the circumstances of the accident and determine if an investigation is warranted.
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Personal Injury Lawyer in Sacramento
I’m Ed Smith, a Personal Injury Lawyer in Sacramento. If you or someone you love has lost a limb following a severe car accident, call me at (916) 921-6400 or (800) 404-5400. I am happy to offer friendly, free advice.
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