Amputation Attorneys Serving All of Connecticut
An amputation injury lawyer can help if you or a loved one suffered the loss of a limb due to the negligence of another. The Flood Law Firm is committed to representing individuals who have sustained amputation injuries in a wide range of accidents.
Reasons to choose The Flood Law Firm to handle your case include:
- Our results speak for themselves. We have obtained more than $100 million in verdicts and settlements for our clients.
- We go to trial. Few local law firms have the courtroom experience we do. When insurance companies don’t play fair, we are not afraid to file a lawsuit and take the case to trial as needed.
- Focus on your long-term needs. Insurers want to make claims go away. At The Flood Law Firm, we fight for settlements and awards that account for the totality of your losses both now and in the future.
There is a limited time to file an amputation lawsuit in Connecticut. Our lawyers will get started on your case right away.
Losing a limb is one of the most serious injuries anyone can experience. Multiple aspects of the victim’s life can be affected, including the ability to walk, the ability to work, the ability to perform a host of daily activities, and more.
If the negligence of another party resulted in the amputation of a leg, arm, or other body part, you may be entitled to significant compensation. Amputation injuries are categorized as a catastrophic injury. Legal claims involving catastrophic injuries are complicated, which is why it is essential to have qualified legal counsel.
The Flood Law Firm has extensive experience handling complex injury claims. If you or a member of your family suffered an amputation injury in an accident, our attorneys can help.
Please call The Flood Law Firm at (860) 346-2695 today for a FREE consultation with an amputation injury lawyer. Our attorneys serve clients throughout Connecticut from offices in Middletown, Danbury, Waterbury, and Bridgeport.
What Is an Amputation Injury?
Amputation is the complete or partial loss of a limb or digit. While medical amputations involve the surgical removal of the limb, an amputation injury may result in the loss of the limb directly (known as a traumatic amputation) or cause such extreme damage to the limb that amputation becomes necessary.
Multiple parts of the body can sustain amputation injuries, including:
- Arms (which may be amputated at the shoulder, between the shoulder and the elbow (trans-humeral amputation), at the elbow, or between the elbow and the wrist (trans-radial amputation))
- Hands (which may be amputated at or below the wrist)
- Fingers (which may be totally amputated or involve the removal of one or more individual sections known as the phalanges)
- Pelvis. (In rare cases, part or all of the pelvis and one or both of the legs need to be removed.)
- Legs (which may be amputated at the hip, between the hip and the knee (known as trans-femoral amputation), at the knee, or below the knee (known as trans-tibial amputation))
- Feet (which may be amputated at or below the ankle)
- Toes (which may be totally amputated or involve the removal of one or more phalanges)
Traumatic injuries to the face may also result in or require amputation. Amputation injuries of the ears, eyelids, nose, and lips can also occur as a result of an accident.
Causes of Amputation Injuries
According to Johns Hopkins, “Traumatic injury accounts for about 45% of all amputations.” Some of the most common causes of amputations our amputation injury lawyers see include:
- Car Accidents
- Truck Accidents
- Motorcycle Accidents
- Construction Accidents
- Dog Bite Injuries
- Medical Malpractice
Auto Accidents
Any kind of motor vehicle accident can lead to an amputation injury. Loss of a limb may occur due to the force of the impact or as a result of extreme trauma to the extremities (such as a crush or burn injury).
Work Injuries
Workplace accidents are another leading cause of amputation injuries. Contact with machines and equipment is the biggest hazard for the loss of a limb. This puts workers in multiple industries at risk, including manufacturing, construction, agriculture, and more.
Medical Negligence
There are a number of scenarios where negligence on the part of doctors, nurses, and other medical professionals can result in the unnecessary removal or loss of a limb, including:
- Wrong-site surgery
- Hospital acquired infections
- Misdiagnosis, delayed diagnosis, and failure to diagnose
- Emergency room errors
- Improper wound care
- Failure to monitor a patient post-surgery
How Much Does an Amputation Injury Cost?
The loss of a limb often leads to immense hardship. In addition to the physical challenges of losing a limb, amputees must also grapple with a number of emotional and psychological effects.
Amputations also carry an enormous financial burden. Research published in the Value in Health journal found that the direct cost of healthcare for an amputated limb is $640,849 over the course of an amputee’s lifetime. This number does not account for the additional economic impacts of an amputation injury, such as loss of income.
It is crucial to account for any and all financial losses you sustain as a result of an amputation injury, as well as the impact on your quality of life. An amputation injury attorney at The Flood Law Firm can identify the compensable damages in your case and fight for the compensation you deserve.
What Are Amputations Worth?
No two personal injury claims are exactly alike. The value of an amputation lawsuit will depend on a range of different factors, including whether the amputation was complete or partial, the costs you have incurred to date, the future economic impact of the injury, and how other areas of your life have been affected.
Damages that may be recovered for an amputation injury include:
- Medical expenses to date, including hospital stays, surgery, and rehabilitation
- The cost of a prosthetic limb and other assistive devices
- Future medical expenses
- Lost wages
- The loss of earning capacity
- Pain and suffering
- Emotional anguish
- Disability
- Scarring and disfigurement
- Loss of consortium
- Loss of enjoyment of life
How Long Do I Have to File a Lawsuit?
Personal injury claims in Connecticut must be filed no more than 2 years after the fact (see Connecticut General Statutes § 52-584). This is known as the statute of limitations.
If you have suffered an amputation injury due to someone else’s negligence, it is of the utmost importance to file a lawsuit before the statute of limitations expires. Although it may be possible to resolve your case without filing a lawsuit, you do not want to lose the opportunity to take legal action if that is what it takes to seek the compensation you deserve.
The Impact of an Amputation Injury
An amputation attorney can account for all of the economic losses you incur both now and in the future. Your lawyer can also calculate the value of non-economic damages such as physical pain, emotional distress, and more.
The Flood Law Firm is committed to your well-being and your long-term needs. Where many law firms look only at the immediate costs of an injury and settle for less, our attorneys consider the lifelong challenges you are likely to face. As it pertains to an amputation injury, this includes:
Complications
Recovery from amputation is a long and demanding process. Amputees are at risk for a number of complications following traumatic or surgical amputation, including:
- Infection at the wound or surgical site
- Blood clots in the body’s deep veins (deep vein thrombosis, or DVT)
- Swelling caused by excess fluid (edema)
- Decreased muscle mass
- Instability of the affected joint
- Tissue necrosis
Managing pain is another critical part of aftercare for amputation. This includes not only managing physical pain at and around the wound site, but addressing another complication known as phantom pain.
Phantom Pain
As the name suggests, phantom pain is the sensation of pain in a limb that has been amputated. Up to 80% of amputees experience phantom limb pain, which is believed to be caused by miscommunication between the brain and nerve transmitters in the extremity after the loss of a limb.
The pain felt with phantom limb syndrome is very real for the amputee. It can also lead to feelings of depression and anxiety.
Prosthesis
Prosthetic limbs are usually fitted 6 weeks to 8 weeks into recovery. Although a prosthetic limb can help amputees regain some function and mobility, learning to use a prosthesis can be lengthy and arduous. Depending on which limb is lost, it can take several months to more than a year for amputees to achieve maximum independence with a prosthetic limb.
Many people assume that prosthetic limbs are long-lasting. However, replacement of the device may be necessary in as little as a few months to as long as a few years. Any amputation lawsuit should account for the expenses you have paid for a prosthetic limb thus far, as well as the ongoing costs associated with the prosthesis, appointments with a prosthetist, and more.
Counseling
It is important not to overlook the mental and emotional components of recovering from an amputation injury. Psychological counseling is often necessary to help amputees overcome issues such as:
- Depression
- Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
- Disruption to body image
- Feelings of grief or loss
Why You Need a Lawyer
Amputation injury claims are complicated due to the nature and extent of the damages involved. Because the loss of a limb has a permanent adverse effect on the amputee’s life, compensation for the injury must be calculated over a period of years or even decades.
This requires multiple forms of evidence that an attorney can gather on your behalf, including:
- Medical records
- A report of the accident that led to the amputation injury
- Eyewitness testimony
- Photos of the accident scene and your injuries
- Testimony from doctors, economists, and other experts
Hiring a lawyer enables you to focus on recovery. Your attorney can also investigate to determine who is at fault for the amputation injury and what legal options you may have.
Often, the accidents that lead to amputation injuries involve complex issues of liability. Your lawyer can account for all of the parties at fault for the accident and your injuries. Depending on the circumstances, this may include the driver of a commercial vehicle and his or her employer, one or more third parties whose negligence results in a workplace accident, or multiple negligent medical professionals (to name a few examples).
Negotiating an Amputation Lawsuit Settlement
Catastrophic injury claims involve substantial damages. Insurance companies are in the business of minimizing payouts, not paying claimants what they deserve in full.
One of the major reasons to hire an amputation injury attorney is to have someone on your side who can negotiate with the insurance company and advise you on potential settlement offers. Given the extreme effects of an amputation injury, you and the insurer may be far apart when it comes to fair compensation. Ultimately, it may be necessary to file a lawsuit to pursue the damages to which you are entitled.
Read More: How Does the Personal Injury Claim Process Work?
Your lawyer can ensure that the lawsuit is filed properly. What’s more, settlement negotiations can – and often do – resume prior to the trial date. It may still be possible to reach a settlement before your case goes to trial.
Filing a lawsuit shows the insurance company that you are serious about recovering compensation. With a trial date looming and mounting evidence of liability, the insurer might be more willing to offer you a fair settlement. It is important to rely on your attorney to determine if the settlement is fair and weigh what you may be awarded at trial with the inherent uncertainty of going to court.
Amputation Injury? The Flood Law Firm Can Help
Amputations are life-altering. In addition to the financial losses associated with the loss of a limb, amputees are forced to navigate a number of physical, mental, and emotional challenges.
You don’t have to face recovery from an amputation by yourself. The Flood Law Firm is committed to your well-being and seeking to maximize compensation for you and your family.
Our Results Speak for Themselves.
Attorneys at The Flood Law Firm are distinguished by their courtroom experience. While many lawyers never take cases to trial, we often go to court on behalf of our clients. This results not only in significant trial awards but a reputation for winning that often enables us to negotiate better settlements for our clients.
Please call (860) 346-2695 today for a FREE consultation with an amputation injury lawyer. The Flood Law Firm serves clients throughout Connecticut from offices in Middletown, Danbury, Waterbury, and Bridgeport.
Connecticut Office
190 Washington Street
Middletown, CT 06457
P: (860) 346-2695
