Noteboom The Law Firm

Amputations among Soldiers Hit All-time High in 2011

The Pentagon has recently released data regarding combat injuries and losses suffered by the U.S. military deployed in the Middle East conflicts. In 2011, one of the most shocking statistics came in the report of limb amputations – 240 cases across all active military branches. This is an increase from the 196 cases in 2010 and surpassed the previous high of 205 in 2007.

Although these statistics are inherently grim, there’s some positivity to be seen in analyzing these cases of amputation. The director of the Pentagon’s Join Staff, Adm. William Gortney, stated that this war has been “one of the most survivable in the history of U.S. combat” largely due to advances in first aid on the front lines and enhanced protective gear.

The chief of the Army Surgeon General’s Dismounted Complex Blast Injury Task Force, Col. Jonathan Jaffin, believes that many of the injury cases would’ve been battlefield fatalities without amputation procedures, making it a necessary step to decrease the loss of life. The numbers seem to back this claim up, with the loss of U.S. troops decreasing from 437 in 2010 to 368 in 2011.

Advances in amputee support and therapy have helped soldiers with missing limbs cope with their new lives as disabled veterans. Many resources are available to disabled veterans requiring support for prosthetics, therapy, and medical expenses related to their amputation.

If you are a disabled veteran who has been denied disability compensation or have not yet applied for benefits from the VA, a South Florida disability attorney from LaVan & Neidenberg is ready to help. To learn if you are entitled to certain programs and benefits contact our veteran’s disability rights firm today – 1-888-234-5758.