If you’ve been in a car accident or hurt in a farm accident, you may have sustained a degloving injury. These wounds are traumatic and may even be life-threatening for the victims. And if you’ve suffered a degloving injury, you could be entitled to compensation.
But what are degloving injuries, and what sort of treatment can you expect if you suffer one? Read on to learn more about these wounds and how you can get compensation if you do suffer one.
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What Is a Degloving Injury?
Degloving injuries occur when the skin and underlying tissue on a limb is pulled away from the muscle and bone underneath. In spite of the name, these injuries happen most often in the legs and can be very painful. In fact, since they cause tissue death and severe blood loss, they can often be life-threatening.
Oftentimes, accidents that are traumatic enough to cause degloving injuries also cause fractures. This can make recovery even more complicated, especially if you have to have the fracture set.
Types of Degloving Injuries
There are two basic types of degloving injuries: open and closed.
- Open degloving injuries – These occur when the skin is ripped completely open, exposing the muscles and bones underneath. The skin may be completely detached, or it may still be hanging on by a flap.
- Closed degloving injuries – Closed degloving injuries still involve the skin being ripped away from the muscle underneath, but in these cases, the skin stays intact. It “floats” over the top of the structures beneath. These injuries often happen over the hips, spine, shoulders, and knees.
Common Causes of Degloving Injuries
There are several types of accidents that often cause degloving injuries. Farm accidents are a common source of these injuries since the machines used in this industry can generate enough force to cause a degloving.
Vehicle accidents, such as car accidents and motorcycle accidents may cause degloving injuries. Some falls or animal bites may cause the skin to detach from the muscle below, and construction accidents may cause degloving.
Treatment and Complications
The main goal of degloving treatment is to stop bleeding and, if possible, reattach the skin to the structures beneath. In some cases, the doctors may be able to lay the skin back over the muscles and allow it to reattach. Skin grafts may also be an option if the skin is too damaged to put back in place.
It should come as no surprise that degloving injuries may often come alongside lost fingers or toes. If this is the case, the doctors will need to reattach the lost digits if possible. And, unfortunately, in situations where the limb is too badly damaged, amputation may be the best option for a degloving victim.
The biggest complication associated with a degloving injury is infection. This is an especially serious risk for open degloving injuries, where the deeper structures of the limb are exposed. Degloving victims may also experience severe tissue death, which can be life-threatening.
Types of Compensation Available
If you’ve suffered a degloving injury, you may be able to file a personal injury compensation claim. There are three basic types of compensation you may be able to recover in your case.
- Economic damages – These damages compensate you for losses that have an attached dollar value. This can include everything from your medical expenses to the wages you lost while you were home recovering from your accident.
- Non-economic damages – Although these damages don’t have an inherent dollar value, they’re no less important. Non-economic damages may compensate you for pain and suffering, scarring and disfigurement, emotional trauma, mental anguish, and more.
- Punitive damages – These damages are very rare to recover in personal injury cases and come with a high burden of proof. They’re designed to punish a defendant who acted in an especially hideous manner during the accident.
A personal injury lawyer can help you calculate every damage you’re owed and make sure you get a full and fair compensation offer.
Statute of Limitations
In Florida, you have a limited amount of time to file a personal injury claim. You can’t try to claim damages for a degloving injury that happened twenty years ago. This time limit is called the statute of limitations, and after it’s passed, you won’t be able to get your case heard in a court of law.
The personal injury statute of limitations in Florida is two years in most cases. While this may seem like a long time, it can fly by when you’re trying to recover from a degloving injury. It’s best to talk to a personal injury lawyer as soon as possible after your accident to start work on your case.
Get Compensation for Your Injury
Degloving injuries can be horrifying and are often life-threatening. If you’ve experienced one of these injuries, you could be entitled to compensation. A fair settlement package can help you cover medical expenses, compensate you for your pain and suffering, and help you get your life back on track.
If you’ve experienced a personal injury, the lawyers at Hollander Law Firm Accident Injury Lawyers want to help. We’ll gather evidence to support your case, negotiate with the insurance companies, and even defend you in court if that’s what it takes. Schedule a free consultation with us today and start getting the representation you deserve at (561) 347-7770.
