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Minnesota Traumatic Amputation Lawyers

Caring advocacy when accidents cause the loss of a limb

The loss of an arm, leg, or any part of these limbs due to an accident is life-changing. Victims require immediate medical care to save as much of their limb as possible, and possibly to save their life. Traumatic amputation victims face incredible physical challenges and devastating personal challenges. At Bradshaw & Bryant, we have 50 years of experience holding drivers, property owners, construction site owners, medical providers, and others responsible when their negligence causes you to lose any visible body part.

Our Minnesota traumatic amputation lawyers have the experience and working relationships with liability professionals and medical professionals to obtain the compensation you deserve. Call us today to assert your right to compensation.

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What is a traumatic amputation injury?

According to Johns Hopkins Medicine, an “amputation is the loss or removal of a body part such as a finger, toe, hand, foot, arm, or leg.” A traumatic amputation occurs when the cause is some type of sudden forceful impact, usually due to an accident such as a car accident, as opposed to diseases or other non-impact causes. Victims require immediate medical care to stop the bleeding, save as much of the limb as possible, and prevent infections.

The loss of a limb can affect your ability to earn a living, enjoy your family and friends, stay independent, and perform daily functions. Even with the use of a prosthetic, traumatic amputation victims face physical and emotional difficulties for the rest of their lives.

What types of accidents cause traumatic amputation injuries in Minnesota?

Our Minnesota traumatic amputation lawyers handle the many different types of accidents that can cause traumatic amputation injuries, including the following:

  • Car accidents, truck accidents, and motorcycle accidents. These collisions, especially at high speeds, can cause an occupant, pedestrian, or bicycle rider to sever or crush part or all of their limb.
  • Accidents involving machines, equipment, and tools that can split part or all of a limb from your body. Some of the professions that use dangerous tools that can cause a traumatic amputation include construction, farming, manufacturing, and other industries. The equipment can directly cut or damage part of a limb. Workers can also suffer a traumatic amputation if they are pinned or caught between the equipment and a wall, another worker, or object.
  • Medical malpractice. Doctors who operate on the wrong body or fail to competently treat a disease or an infection can cause a patient to lose part or all of their arm, leg, hand, foot, finger, or toe.

Skiing accidents, snowmobile accidents, and other types of accidents can also cause traumatic amputation.

Johns Hopkins Medicine states that, “If tissue destruction, infection, or disease affects a body part in a way that makes it impossible to repair or endangers the person’s life, that part may be removed by surgical amputation.”

What physical and emotional challenges do accident victims who lose a limb face?

The types of surgeries for traumatic amputation that accident victims face depend on the part of the body that is damaged or severed. Surgeons try their best to save as much of an arm or leg so that the victim can use a prosthetic device.

One of the major physical challenges of amputation is phantom pain. Phantom pain means that the victim experiences pain in the part of their body that has already been amputated. Johns Hopkins Medicine states that:

The remaining nerve connections in the spinal cord and brain ‘remember’ the body part, and can cause a compelling sensation that it is still there (phantom limb syndrome) or severe pain (phantom pain syndrome). The surgeon can take steps during the amputation surgery to address the nerves that carry sensations back to the brain that affect pain and phantom sensations. These steps do not eliminate the problems, but can reduce the overall risk of them happening and the extent to which they occur.

Traumatic amputations, depending on the body part the victim no longer has, also include the following difficulties:

  • Standing, walking, keeping your balance, driving, and other movements that depend on your legs
  • An increased risk of falling
  • Eating, putting on clothes, and typing at a computer
  • Performing their work duties

Victims who can use prosthetics need to take the time to ensure that the prosthetic can fit properly. They need help from physical therapists and occupational therapists to learn how to use their prosthetic devices. Most traumatic amputation victims who can use a prosthesis will require multiple prosthetic devices during their lifetime. Victims may also need skin grafts, wound care, and pain management.

Losing part or all of a limb is just as emotionally traumatic as it is physically challenging. Most traumatic amputation victims need long-term psychological counseling to learn to live with their limb loss, regain their confidence, and have meaningful personal relationships. Many victims suffer from anxiety, depression, social isolation, body image concerns, and other emotional trauma. Some victims may suffer post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).

Many amputees benefit by working with counselors and other amputee victims through a local chapter of the Amputee Coalition.

What damages can I claim if I suffer a traumatic amputation in Minnesota?

At Bradshaw & Bryant, PLLC, we work with your doctors (and our network of doctors, when necessary) to understand the full scope and severity of your limb loss. We demand compensation for all your damages to date and the financial and personal damages you will have for the rest of your life. These damages include:

  • Medical bills. These include the cost of emergency transportation, ER care, surgeries, hospitalizations, rehabilitative therapy, psychological counseling, prosthetic devices, wheelchairs, other assistive help, and medications.
  • Income loss. This amount includes lost wages, benefits, overtime, business income, and permanent disability income.
  • Pain and suffering. Our Minnesota traumatic amputation lawyers demand compensation for every day and every way you are hurt, physically and emotionally.
  • Modifications to your home. You may need to install stair lifts, wheelchair ramps, and other modifications to access, exit, and enjoy your home.
  • Damages for your disfigurement. This amount includes the inability to use part of your body and enjoy life’s pleasures.

How do you fight for traumatic amputation victims?

Our Minnesota traumatic amputation lawyers file personal injury claims against everyone responsible for your loss of limb, including drivers, employers, manufacturers, doctors, property owners, sellers of alcohol to someone who is visibly intoxicated and later causes an accident due to their intoxication, and other individuals and businesses.

Do you have a Minnesota traumatic amputation lawyer near me?

Yes. Our personal injury attorneys meet with prospective clients in our offices at 1505 Division Street in Waite Park, Minnesota. If you are unable to make it to our offices, we’re available to speak with you by phone and through online platforms like Zoom. We also meet clients at their home or a healthcare facility, when necessary.

Our team will guide you through each step of your claim. Many claims do settle. We’re always ready to argue your case before a jury.

Get help from our Minnesota traumatic amputation lawyers today

We sympathize with you. We understand how upsetting it is to lose a limb. We have the skills and experience to fight for all the compensation you need and deserve. At Bradshaw & Bryant, we’re here to help you understand your rights and legal options. Call us or fill out our contact form today to schedule a free consultation.