Law Topics >  Injuries > Loss of Limb

There are an estimated 3 million amputees in the United States alone. Amputation is defined as the severing of a body part. Every year over 156,000 people in the United States lose a limb. Some amputations, such as that of a fingertip, can cause minor bleeding, but other amputations, such as an arm or a leg, can lead to significant blood loss, shock, infection, and possible death.

Congenital amputation occurs when a child is born without an arm or leg or parts of an arm or leg. Approximately 2% of the amputee population is congenital. The causes of such birth defects are often unknown.

Information on amputees: Some amputees wear a prosthesis or “artificial limb.” A prosthesis can range in price from $8,000 to $70,000, depending upon the level of amputation. The average prosthesis must be replaced every 2-5 years.