Degloving injuries are among the most severe forms of traumatic injury. They occur when skin and underlying tissue are forcibly separated from muscles, bones or other structures. Motor vehicle collisions, motorcycle crashes, industrial accidents and incidents involving heavy machinery can cause these devastating injuries.
Beyond the immediate physical trauma that affected individuals face, victims may face substantial associated expenses that may impact – and even drain – their bank accounts repeatedly for years if they don’t seek adequate compensation from liable parties.
Why are these injuries commonly so costly?
Emergency treatment is often only the beginning when it comes to the medical expenses of a degloving patient. A severe degloving injury may require ambulance transportation, hospitalization and one or more surgeries. Physicians may need to remove damaged tissue, repair blood vessels or perform skin grafts and reconstructive procedures. Some patients require lengthy stays in intensive care and/or specialized burn and wound-care units.
Additional procedures may become necessary as healing progresses. Infection, tissue death and poor circulation can complicate recovery. In particularly severe cases, doctors may be unable to save an injured limb, resulting in amputation and the need for prosthetic devices.
Rehabilitation can be very challenging and costly. Physical and occupational therapy may be necessary to restore strength, movement and independence. Victims can also require assistive devices, home modifications or ongoing nursing assistance. Psychological treatment may be appropriate when disfigurement, chronic pain or the circumstances of the accident result in significant emotional trauma.
A degloving victim may also be unable to work during recovery and may lose weeks or months of income. Permanent limitations could prevent a victim from returning to a former occupation altogether, creating a claim for diminished future earning capacity.
Regardless of the exact circumstances that an individual degloving victim is facing, chances are that the months and – at minimum – first few years after their trauma occurs are going to be very expensive. Working with a skilled legal team can help them to seek the maximum amount of compensation to which they are entitled from responsible parties.