Cleveland Amputation Injury Attorney

Workplace Accidents

Unsafe working conditions and machinery defects can result in severe workplace injuries. For instance, the loss of fingers, toes, and hands is not unheard of in industrial workplace accidents, as employees are often subject to working around dangerous machinery.

Dog Bite Accidents

A dog’s mouth is full of germs and bacteria. In fact, dogs have more than 700 species of bacteria in their mouths (PetMD). As such, dog bites may quickly lead to infection and even result in limb loss in some unfortunate cases. Our Cleveland dog bite lawyers have handled hundreds of these types of cases and are prepared to handle yours, too.

Medical Malpractice

An injured body part is a prime breeding ground for disease and infection. If the infection is severe enough, it can quickly spread to other body parts. In fact, sepsis causes nearly 40 amputations per day in the United States. Medical errors and malpractice cases can lead to sepsis and septic shock, especially if your care provider fails to diagnose and/or treat your condition in a timely manner.

Medically Necessary Amputation

Medically necessary amputations are often performed to prevent the spread of severe infection or other diseases to the rest of the body. During these procedures, surgeons often try to save as much bone and tissue as possible to preserve independence and mobility.

Disease

Vascular diseases like diabetes and peripheral arterial disease can cause poor blood flow in the extremities which can lead to limb loss if not properly cared for. (Foot ulcers precede 85% of lower limb amputations.) If your doctor fails to diagnose or properly treat your health issues, they can potentially be held responsible for the loss of a limb, depending on the circumstances. 

Certain types of cancer can also affect bone and soft tissue. If the cancer is aggressive or too large to be easily removed, amputation can prevent cancer from spreading to the rest of your body.

Extreme Burns

Extreme heat, extreme cold, and certain toxic chemicals can damage skin cells and tissue beyond repair. Burned tissue can easily spread infection to the rest of the body, so amputations are often medically necessary to prevent further infection or even death.

Types of Amputation Injuries

Trauma-related amputations can either be partial or complete. Both types of amputation are medical emergencies. Hemorrhaging (severe blood loss) is common during these procedures and can be life-threatening.

Partial Amputation

During a partial amputation, the limb is still attached to the body with soft connective tissue like a tendon or muscle. Medical providers often do everything possible to preserve this connection, but full reattachment is often unsuccessful.

Complete Amputation

Complete amputations result in a total severance of the limb or body part. Severed limbs can sometimes be surgically reattached. Even if a limb is reattached after a traumatic amputation, it often takes months or even years of therapy and rehabilitation to regain sensation and movement.