Amputation has lifelong effects.

Causes

Many types of incidents can cause an extremity injury. Common sources in personal injury claims include:

• Car crashes
• Dog bites
• Burns
• Various types of falls

Effects

Common injuries to the arms can severely limit your normal activities, and can include:

• Broken bones
• Rotator cuff or Labrum tears of the shoulder
• Torn ligaments in the elbow
• Bone and soft tissue injuries to the wrists or hands

Common injuries to the legs can severely limit your mobility, and can include:

• Broken bones
• Hip injuries, including bursitis and labral tears
• Torn ligaments in the knee
• Bone and soft tissue injuries in the ankle and foot

Amputation

Sometimes the best medical action to save someone’s life is amputation, or the removal of a limb, finger or toe. Amputations can be caused by the incident itself, or the result of serious infections from the injury.

Disfigurement

Permanent damage to bone, skin or muscles can result in disfigurement. Disfigurement is visible with a change in healthy appearance, or it can be invisible, like nerve damage that causes severe pain.

Both amputation and disfigurement cause significant physical and emotional changes. These changes profoundly affect the victim and the victim’s family, usually permanently. Prosthetics and other medical devices are expensive. Treatment is extensive and can include therapy, doctors’ appointments and mental or emotional care.