Coping with cross-border personal injury involving amputation

Losing a part of one’s body is a catastrophic injury that affects the victim on multiple levels. Coping with such a loss is unimaginable, and if it happens in an accident while a person is on vacation in British Columbia from across the border, it could complicate matters considerably. Dealing with a cross-border personal injury claim can be overwhelmingly complicated.

The loss of a limb or other body part involves much more than physical loss and pain. The victim’s gender, age and the circumstances that led to the amputation will determine how long he or she needs to grieve the loss. Socioeconomic factors and the level of support from friends and family can be helpful during this difficult time.

Along with physical trauma, there may be emotional, mental and spiritual challenges to overcome, and a combination of these often lead to depression. The victim may lose his or her appetite and suffer from the lack of energy, insomnia or sleeping significantly more than before. It may become a struggle to concentrate, and the victim may lose interest in previous activities and social connections. Feeling worthless and hopeless is not uncommon during this time of depression.

Along with the financial expenses related to doctors’ bills, hospital fees and other medical services, there may also be the costs of psychological therapy, rehabilitation and other services to recover. An amputation victim may also need medical equipment such as a wheelchair, and modifications may be necessary for his or her living quarters to accommodate the disability. These damages, along with lost income, may be recovered with the help of an experienced British Columbia cross-border personal injury law firm that focuses primarily on seeking recovery and protecting the rights of cross border accident victims.

Source: amputee-coalition.org, “Dealing With Grief and Depression“, Omal Bani Saberi, Accessed on Aug. 25, 2017