How Do Amputation Injuries Occur?
Amputation is the traumatic or surgical loss of a limb or extremity, such as a leg, arm, hand, foot, or finger. It can affect a person’s ability to move, work, interact with others, and maintain independence. Traumatic injury accounts for approximately 45% of all amputations, as reported by John Hopkins Medicine. A body part may be cut off or torn away in a serious accident, or it may be so severely damaged from severe burns or crush injuries that it must be surgically removed. The following are common causes of traumatic amputation in Memphis:
- Car accidents: High-speed vehicle collisions can cause traumatic amputations or severe crush injuries leading to surgical amputations.
- Truck accidents: In a collision with a much smaller passenger vehicle, a large commercial truck can cause catastrophic injuries to passenger vehicle occupants, including amputations.
- Motorcycle accidents: Lacking the protections of an enclosed vehicle, motorcyclists are vulnerable to amputations and other catastrophic injuries in a crash.
- Workplace accidents: Construction, manufacturing, and industrial workers do jobs that often involve dangerous machinery. Lapses in safety protocols can lead to limbs being caught, crushed, or severed in equipment.
