Amputation

    PHOENIX, AZ, December 02, 2009 /24-7PressRelease/ -- Losing a limb is one of the most traumatic events a person can experience, affecting you not only physically, but also emotionally and financially.

Unfortunately, approximately 1.7 million people in the U.S. are living with the aftermath of an amputation, and about 185,000 new amputations are performed there annually.

Types of Amputation
There are basically four categories of amputations:

- Dysvascular-Related Amputations. These are amputations due to vascular disease, i.e., problems with blood flow to the limbs. More than 80 percent of all limb removals in the U.S. are dysvascular-related amputations.
- Cancer-Related Amputations. Obviously, these are amputations that occur as a result of cancer in some part of the body.
- Congenital-Related Amputations. These are caused by severe congenital problems with a limb at birth. (In some cases, congenital-related amputations can be related to medical malpractice.)
- Trauma-Related Amputations. These are amputations caused by some sort of extreme trauma to the body.

Common Causes of Traumatic-Related Amputations
Amputation injuries can be the result of accidents such as:

- Automobile accidents
- Truck accidents
- Motorcycle accidents
- Construction accidents

Trauma-Related Amputation Statistics
According to the Amputee Coalition of America:

- Nearly 70 percent of amputations of the upper limbs are due to trauma-related injuries.
- The risk of having a limb amputated for traumatic reasons, as well as dysvascular-related reasons, increases with age.
- Men are at a higher risk for traumatic-related limb removal.

Care after an Amputation
The general health and strength of a person who has undergone an amputation are the driving factors in determining how much care he/she will need after the loss of limb. There may be prosthetic fittings, rehabilitation, physical and occupational training, psychological counseling, and professional assistance with mobility and driving.

Amputation Injury Compensation
If a person's loss of limb is the fault of another individual or entity, that person may be able to sue for financial compensation that can help with mounting medical bills and other amputation-related costs. Prosthetic devices alone can cost $70,000 or more and must be replaced at regular intervals.

If someone else's negligence or wrongdoing caused your amputation, an experienced amputation injury lawyer may help you receive monetary damages for:

- Medical expenses
- Prosthetics
- Long-term care
- Lost income
- Reduced quality of life
- Emotional pain
- Loss of companionship

If you have questions about amputation injury and compensation, visit the website of amputation injury attorney Jerrold A. Mayro, located in the Phoenix, Arizona area.

Website: http://www.mayrolaw.com

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