For many Colorado residents, the freedom that riding provides outweighs the risks. Even so, many motorcycle riders keep in mind the fact that they are quite vulnerable to serious injuries if involved in motorcycle accidents. One of the injuries they could suffer is traumatic amputation of a limb.
As the name implies, a traumatic amputation is the loss of a limb in a sudden and violent manner. These don’t occur due to a medical condition. Sometimes, the force of a collision is powerful enough to sever a limb, especially for a motorcycle rider who has little protection from other, larger vehicles.
The question is whether the severed, or partially severed, appendage can be reattached. That depends on the severity of the damage, along with other factors. The care given at the scene of the accident could also affect the outcome. Of course, the first order of business is to stabilize the victim, which will likely include stopping or slowing any bleeding from the site of the amputation.
The care given during these first moments is crucial. This includes the severed body part if it can be located. It should be put in a damp cloth, plastic bag and then into another bag with ice water. If no ice water is available, it should be kept out of or away from heat sources as much as possible during the trip to the hospital.
A Colorado motorcycle rider who suffers from a traumatic amputation could make a near perfect recovery if the circumstances are right. Even if the optimal result happens, that person’s life will still be interrupted, which could be costly financially, physically and emotionally. In any case, if the other driver caused the accident that led to such a travesty, the victim may pursue restitution through a personal injury claim. A successful claim in which the appropriate evidence proves negligence on the part of the other driver could result in damages awarded in other cases involving motorcycle accidents.