April was “Limb Loss and Limb Difference Awareness Month.” Of the nearly 2 million people living with limb loss in the United States, an estimated 45% or 900,000 lost a leg or arm through trauma. The latter numbers can be attributed to many situations, including motor vehicle, workplace, agricultural and fireworks accidents as well as electrocutions.
Losing a limb is devastating. Faced with many new challenges, you must confront them and deal with them as best as you can. Your life will change as medical costs pile up and you may no longer be able to work. Or, in some cases, a prosthetic limb is the solution. Extra challenges surface in paying for and getting used to it.
Negligence and costly consequences
The negligence of other parties is often the root of traumatic injuries. A drunk driver strikes your motorcycle; an employer may have either failed to provide proper training, ignored safety measures or relied on defective equipment; or a municipality failed to protect its citizens.
Forced to spend the rest of your life with limb loss, you have challenges anew. They may include relearning how to walk, drive a car, and even going grocery shopping where you must pick up items from shelves.
In some instances, the injury victim may be a candidate for a prosthetic limb. But one is costly. For example, a prosthetic leg ranges from $5,000 to $75,000 – the most expensive being a computerized titanium leg. And you are not always assured that a prosthetic limb will work for you. Some people may not be good candidates.
Help from loved ones and professionals
The loss of a limb leads you to face many personal and financial challenges. It is crucial to lean on your loved ones and friends for emotional support. And it also is practical and wise to seek advice from an attorney.
The attorneys at Anderson, Moschetti & Taffany, PLLC understand the frustrations that come with these accidents and can help you move forward.