Amputation Claims Solicitors

An amputation generally affects a person’s extremities, such as their legs, feet, toes, arms, hands and fingers. Losing any of these body parts can be grounds for a medical negligence claim – it does not only apply to losing a major limb.

Sometimes amputation is the only way to save someone’s life following a serious injury or illness. However, an amputation may be prevented through faster or better-quality medical care.

Examples of clinical negligence that can lead to an amputation include:

• Mismanagement or misdiagnosis of diabetes
• Mishandling or delayed treatment of crush injuries
• Misdiagnosis or delayed treatment of cancer
• Misdiagnosis or delayed treatment of meningitis
• Misdiagnosis or delayed treatment of sepsis
• Misdiagnosis or delayed treatment of infections and vascular disease
• Surgical errors such as severing nerves or damaging surrounding tissue
• Misdiagnosis or delayed treatment of DVT (Deep Vein Thrombosis) or similar circulatory conditions
• Inadequate post-operative care
• Untreated pressure sores

An amputation negligence claim can also be pursued if a surgeon makes mistakes during an amputation procedure, such as amputating the wrong limb or amputating either too much or too little of the affected extremity. These incidents would also classify as ‘Never Event’ claims.

To establish whether you have a legitimate amputation compensation claim, we must answer three important questions:

1. Did a medical professional breach their duty of care to you during your treatment?
2. Did you suffer excessive injury, suffering or loss as a result of your treatment?
3. Was your medical professional’s breach of duty the direct cause of your amputation?

For your claim to be considered valid, it must meet all three criteria. If it does not meet one or more of the above questions, then you do not have grounds for a claim.

At Gadsby Wicks, our highly experienced solicitors have a strong track record of managing amputation claims, enabling us to give you an accurate, honest answer as to whether your claim is likely to succeed. 

As part of our comprehensive medical negligence claims process, we will:

• Arrange a free initial consultation to discuss your situation
• Set you up with your dedicated solicitor to personally oversee your case
• Gather all relevant evidence to reinforce your claim
• Consult with independent medical experts
• Contact the Defendant, assess their response and advise on your next steps
• Negotiate with the Defendant to reach a fair settlement
• Prepare you for your court hearing should your case proceed to trial

To find out if you have a potential amputation compensation claim, answer a few short questions on our dedicated “Do I have a claim?” form.

It can often be hard to prove that an amputation was directly caused by medical negligence. You must determine when it became impossible to prevent the amputation, and whether one or more healthcare professionals could have acted before this.

We work with independent medical experts to examine your case and establish the latest possible time an amputation could have been prevented. While it is virtually impossible to pinpoint the exact date and time, our experts can estimate this against the Balance of Probabilities, which is the standard required to prove causation.

In addition to receiving medical expert reports, examples of evidence we may use to prove your claim include:

• Medical records
• Witness statements
• Your personal statement
• Photographs

For this reason, we will often seek to establish the cause of your amputation before we investigate the duty of care. This is helpful for two key reasons:

1. Several healthcare professionals may have seen the claimant both before and after the point of no return, so this helps to determine who can be considered liable
2. It will inform us whether an amputation could have been prevented by the time you first visited a healthcare professional, or if it was already too late

An amputation can change your life in many different ways. While prosthetic limbs can help increase your functionality, it often takes a long time to adjust to these new limitations and lifestyle changes. Even the simplest tasks, like picking up a shopping bag or kicking a ball, may no longer be possible.

Psychological impact

Changes to your physical capabilities, movement and routine can cause significant psychological harm, as you may struggle to come to terms with your limitations. An amputation can also negatively impact both your self-esteem and body image, with the sudden loss of independence affecting your dignity and self-worth.

Work and loss of earnings

Losing a limb may mean you can no longer perform your current job or approach it differently. For example, you may find it harder to do long shifts at work due to your prosthetic leg, or require more regular breaks to manage your discomfort. This can affect how much you earn and your future job opportunities.

Getting to and from work may also be challenging. Travelling via bus or train can be harder if you now use crutches or a wheelchair. If you drive to work, you may need to buy a specially adapted vehicle.

Life at home

You may find that once-simple actions, such as climbing the stairs or bathing, can become significantly more challenging following an amputation, or impossible without assistance. Your home may also not be properly equipped to support your limitations.

Social life and relationships

From no longer being able to take part in beloved hobbies, to losing the spontaneity to go out at any point in time, an amputation can drastically impact your social life. This may also extend to current and future relationships, as a lost limb could mean you are now more self-conscious about your appearance.

Fundamentally, an amputation can influence every aspect of your life moving forward, which is why we work tirelessly to secure the financial security you need to limit its impact on your quality of life.