Atlanta Amputation Accident Lawyer
Amputation injuries may seem like rare incidents, but they affect thousands of people from children to the workers across the United States each year. Accidental amputation injuries are generally described as instances where a finger, hand, arm, leg, or foot has been severed due to negligence or other factors. The types of cases we have most commonly seen at the Law Offices of Andrew Goldner have included tractor-trailer collisions, automobile crashes, and other product defects.
Not many people know the facts surrounding amputation accidents simply because knowing what to do or how to avoid them isn’t very well-taught. We want to remedy that by explaining some of the most common types of amputations, what causes them, and how often they occur. It is also important to know what to do if you or someone you know incurs this type of injury and what resources are available to you.
Common Amputations
The most common type of accidental amputation involves the loss of a finger or fingers, affecting nearly 60 thousand plus people across the states each year. The causes for these accidents vary, of course, but many times it is children who experiment with blenders or fan blades or workers who are not educated in using different pieces of equipment, such as table saws or other types of heavy machinery. Hands are the second-most common type of amputation injury, followed by the loss of arms. Usually these occur due to industrial equipment malfunctions, a lack of safety precautions, or unknowledgable people maneuvering the equipment. This doesn’t account for extreme automobile accidents, either. Many accidental amputations happen while driving simply due to the lack of wearing a seatbelt. If there is anything that can be learned from these common types of amputations, it is 1) make sure you protect children from potentially dangerous equipment in the house 2) don’t operate machinery in negligence, and 3) wear your seatbelt in vehicles. These simple precautions may not end amputation accidents entirely, but they could certainly decrease the number of instances that occur across the States.
If Amputation Injury Does Occur
If you or someone around you ever does incur an accident that leaves you or them with a severed appendage, there are a few things you will need to do to make sure it is taken care of properly. Consider some of these measures:
- Remain Calm – Whether you or another receive an accidental amputation, it is crucial to try and remain as calm as possible. Staying calm helps improve cognitive function in these types of accidents as well as improve chances of recovery. If you allow yourself to panic, your body could go in shock much easier. Shock commonly results in more injury, and, if the amputation is severe enough, going into shock could decrease your chances of survival. It will be important to think clearly and avoid panicking so that you can get the attention you need as soon as possible.
- Stop the Bleeding and Get Help Immediately – Sometimes accidental amputations don’t bleed because the blood vessels are severed to a point where they don’t allow blood to escape. At other times, the blood loss is very serious and could be life-threatening. To stop any blood loss, tie off the appendage – if possible – with cloth or any other makeshift tourniquet (if you have a medical kit close with a real tourniquet, that’s of course a better option). Also get any clean cloth or bandage to place over the wound. If you incurred the injury and there are others around you, get them to help in any way they can.
Make sure you call emergency services as soon as possible. These types of injuries can generally be helped if response teams have enough time. If you or others can retrieve the lost appendages, given they are still in-tact, they is also a good chance that you could make a recovery. While waiting for medical attention, if possible drink water. This helps the body overcome shock and can help in the healing process. - Contact Your Lawyer – After you or loved one is safe and under medical care, seek legal advice immediately. There are many things that can be done to compensate for their injuries and traumatic experience. Admittedly, money damages may not be able to restore a person or family fully, but financial recoveries do allow for security and, if needed, continued care.
Resources
There are great resources for those who suffer as amputee victims. The Amputee Coalition of America and the United Amputee Services Association Inc. are two among many that give support to individuals and families who have gone through an amputation experience. While the Law Offices of Andrew E. Goldner doesn’t pretend to be an expert in these practices, we also have the knowledge necessary if you or a loved one every get in this type of injury. If you have received an accidental amputation or accidental injury in the Atlanta, Georgia area, make sure to contact us as your trusted and professional legal representation.In addition, in handling these cases in the Atlanta, Georgia area, we have seen many instances of single or multiple finger amputation at various commercial locations and as a result of defective products.
Obviously, life is forever changed when a person suffers an amputation injury. We work with clients all over Georgia in an effort to secure top-notch medical care (usually from an orthopedic surgeon) and a monetary recovery against the negligent party. While money damages cannot return the injured person to his or her pre-accident condition, financial recoveries do allow for security and, if needed, continued care.
Some resources for those suffering from amputation injuries are:
Atlanta, GA30338
Phone: (404) 869-1580
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