I’m sorry to hear about your amputation. Osteomyelitis is a rare but serious infection of the bone. A bone can become infected because of an infection in another part of the body spreading to the bone, or because of an open bone break or surgery that could expose the bone to infection. If treated quickly enough, it could be treated with antibiotics, but in serious cases an amputation is necessary.
Doctors are making remarkable progress in the fields of limb loss and prostheses. Recently in Australia, surgeons installed a 3D printed tibia into the leg of a man who lost his leg above the knee because of osteomyelitis. The tibia was wrapped in blood vessels and tissue from both of his legs. Doctors believe the surgery was a success and that the man will experience bone growth. It will take him at least 18 months to walk again.
Although this surgery was successful, this procedure was experimental. Typically, insurance companies will not cover any treatments that they deem to be experimental. However, this surgery paves the way for future bone implantation, and at some point the procedure can no longer be deemed as experimental, and insurance companies will be forced to pay for it.
If you are an amputee, it can be difficult to work with insurance companies to get the treatments you are owed under the terms of your policy. In some cases, the insurance companies may be following the rules, but in other situations the insurance company may be acting in bad faith. If you are an amputee and you believe that your insurance company is acting in bad faith, call me, Conal Doyle, Los Angeles amputation attorney at 310-385-0567. My team can help. Call today to learn more or to schedule a free consultation on your case.