What are the Effects of Amputation?

There are accidents sometimes so serious that it can cause significant damage to the victim’s limbs. When this happens, the doctors may opt to amputate the damaged body part in order to save the victim’s life. While the end result is often the victim living, there are some physical and emotional effects that they must live with after the fact. This is a dramatic change and is not something to be taken likely.

The Physical Effects

A person’s life changes the moment they lose their limbs. It can have a direct impact on dexterity, and depending on the limb, even mobility. The loss of a leg or arm can impact a person’s ability to walk or balance correctly. Daily life will be forever changed. The victim may also experience what is referred to as phantom pain. This affects up to 80% of amputees and it comes in the form of a painful sensation in the area of the missing limb.

Amputees also risk infection of the area where the limb was cut due to the open wound if the skin breaks down. It can impact the use of a prosthetic limb and impact the victim’s blood circulation as well. Another effect of amputation is fatigue. The loss of a limb can make what were once simple tasks that much more difficult, increasing energy use and causing the victim to be more fatigued.

The Emotional Effects

Many individuals who are amputees suffer from issues regarding body image and how other perceive them. These feelings often lead to the individual attempting to hide their missing limbs from others or altering their appearance in other ways. An amputation can also be a traumatic experience, causing the victim to relive the memories that caused the accident. This is especially true because there is a constant reminder that cannot be escaped. Understanding how to deal with trauma is an important factor in the process of healing.

Our Philadelphia catastrophic injury lawyers know how serious it is to endure an amputation. Lives can change forever as a result. As such, The Beasley Firm is dedicated to helping victims seek the compensation they need when they need it most.

Call us today and discuss your potential case with a dedicated legal advocate.