Seattle Attorneys Representing Victims Of Traumatic Limb Loss
Last updated on October 6, 2022
An amputation, whether accidental or surgical, can have a significant and permanent impact on your quality of life and ability to earn a living. There are times when a part of the body that was severed can be reattached, but that is a rarity and the best-case outcome is often partial function.
When an amputation is due to another party’s negligence or wrongdoing, you may be entitled to compensation for your resulting losses and damages. But, getting compensation from the liable party or insurance company is never an easy task. If you or a family member has suffered an amputation in an accident, the experienced Seattle catastrophic personal injury lawyers at Pendergast Law will work to make sure you get adequate compensation for your future. Find out how we can help by calling 888-539-9211 for a free consultation.
Washington Amputation Case Results
- $700,000 recovery for a man who lost his hand in an industrial accident in Battle Ground.
What Are Common Causes Of Amputation Injuries?
The vast majority of accidental amputations occur in motor vehicle accidents. There are several reasons for this. First of all, cars and trucks are mostly made of steel, which can shear apart and sever a limb. Also, motor vehicles are heavy, fast and powerful. When they collide with another vehicle or stationary object at a high speed, limbs can be crushed, forcing doctors to perform surgical amputation of fingers, arms, legs or other body parts.
Other common causes of amputation include:
- Motorcycle accidents
- Pedestrians hit by motor vehicles
- Agricultural accidents
- Landscaping accidents
- Manufacturing accidents
- Defective or poorly designed products
- Mechanical door, elevator and escalator accidents
- Fireworks and other explosions
- Infections and gangrene
The Devastation Of Finger Amputation
We rely on our hands and fingers for almost every task that we complete, yet in a single second, all of that function could be taken away. About 30,000 Americans of all ages suffer finger amputations each year. A study published in the Annals of Emergency Medicine found that:
- Three out of four finger amputations in children age 4 and younger were caused by fingers that were caught, jammed, or crushed in an opening or closing door.
- More than half of the finger amputations in men age 55 and older were caused by power tools (power saws, most often).
Fingers play a part in just about every aspect of our lives, from getting dressed and applying makeup in the morning to setting our alarm clocks at night. Fingers are also an integral part of most people’s occupations, allowing us to earn a living. And, of course, fingers are involved with many things we do for pleasure, like petting a dog, playing sports, or playing an instrument.
If you are fortunate, you might be able to regain some of the use of fingers that are reattached surgically. But these procedures are very expensive and require months of rehabilitation. Lost wages, medical bills, and living expenses grow very quickly during the time that you are trying to regain the use of your fingers. You should not be forced to choose between seeking medical care that could restore the use of your fingers and returning to work out of necessity to support yourself and your family.
Can I Get Compensation For The Loss, Or Partial Loss, Of A Finger?
If you lost your finger because another person or company was negligent, you may be eligible to receive compensation through a Washington personal injury claim. There is no set dollar amount that can replace or even begin to compensate for the loss of a part of your body, but information about your current job will have an impact on the amount of compensation that you could be eligible for, as well as how many fingers were lost or damaged. You may be able to receive the following from the at-fault party:
- Current medical bills
- Future medical bills related to your injury, such as reconstructive surgeries and skin grafts
- Pain and suffering
- Costs of physical, emotional and occupational therapy
- Scarring and disfigurement
- Permanent injury or disability
- Household and vehicle modifications to accommodate your injury
- Lost wages
- Loss of career or earning capacity
- Hedonic damages for loss of joy in life, such as the loss of the ability to play musical instruments, sew, type, play video games, etc.
What About Treatment, Care And Compensation For Amputation Injuries?
After the initial surgery, amputation victims often need prolonged hospitalization and observation. Patients may require prosthetic limbs and physical therapy to help them adjust to their new handicap. The recovery process can take weeks, months or even years. Treatment is expensive, and even with proper care, many victims of amputation injuries are never able to return to a normal existence. Medical science is advancing, and new technology is making life easier for amputees. In addition to the traditional “wooden leg,” bone-mounted robotic arms, brain-controlled robotic hands, prosthetic legs and other assistive devices are being developed.
But, such devices are expensive and patients may take a long time to master their use. Aside from the physical impact of an amputation injury, there are also the emotional and mental adjustments to living as an amputee.
The simple truth is that the party responsible for your amputation isn’t going to just hand you a blank check. They’re going to try to get away with paying you little or nothing for your pain, suffering, and the destruction of a part of your body. This is why you need experienced attorneys on your side. The legal team at Seattle’s Pendergast Law can help you get the compensation you truly deserve. Our experienced legal team understands the expenses and issues that you could face in the future, because we’ve handled many cases involving amputation before. Call 888-539-9211 for a free and comprehensive case evaluation with a Seattle traumatic amputation lawyer.