The extreme trauma of losing part of or an entire body part – such as an arm, leg, finger, or toe – has lifelong consequences for the victim and their family. If you or a loved one lost a body part due to an amputation accident that was someone else’s fault in St. Louis, you could seek compensation for medical care, lost income, pain, suffering, and other losses.
The catastrophic injury lawyers at Sumner Law Group, LLC, understand the complexities of an amputation lawsuit. Working through the legal system while undergoing treatment and rehabilitation is overwhelming for amputation accident victims. Sumner Law Group, LLC, is ready to protect your rights and pursue financial recovery for you.
Contact Sumner Law Group, LLC, now for a free consultation with a St. Louis amputation injury attorney. We will review your case and lay out your best legal options. If we agree to work together, you will pay us only if we recover money for you.
What Is Considered an Amputation Injury?
An amputation injury is the partial or complete removal of a body part. It occurs when a body part is completely separated from the rest of the body. Sometimes surgeons must perform amputations in life-threatening situations, such as when a body part is too severely damaged to save or when there is infection or necrosis that makes the body part hazardous to the health of the rest of the body. In other cases, the appendage is severed from the body in the accident itself.
Rehabilitation, prosthetic devices, and other medical interventions are often necessary to help individuals adapt and recover from amputation injuries. Many amputation accident victims cannot return to work, which causes further economic hardship for their loved ones.
Why You Need an Attorney for Your Amputation Claim
Our lawyers for amputation cases can explain your rights and guide you in pursuing a legal claim. Working with our St. Louis amputation attorneys has other benefits for you, such as:
- Investigation – Our attorneys can gather evidence, witness statements, medical records, and expert opinions.
- Liability – Our lawyers can identify the liable parties and hold them accountable for your loss of a limb or digit and the resulting lifelong impact.
- Negotiation – Our personal injury attorneys are skilled negotiators who pursue every dollar you might be entitled to receive.
- Settlement – Amputation injuries accrue significant financial, physical, and emotional loss that deserves a fair settlement.
- Representation – If the insurance company won’t agree to a fair settlement, our attorneys will be ready to fight for your rights in court.
Causes of Amputation in St. Louis
There are many potential causes of amputation. Many people suffer from traumatic amputations. These are the result of injuries that sever or crush limbs, like:
- Car accidents – Crashes are a leading factor in many amputation claims. Amputation injuries may occur during the accident or due to complications caused by accident-related injuries.
- Medical malpractice – Doctors and other healthcare providers who fail to uphold accepted standards of care may contribute to losing a limb.
- Workplace injuries – Certain industries (manufacturing, construction, agricultural work, and food processing) carry a higher risk of workers losing a leg, arm, or other body part due to negligence in the workplace.
- Dangerous premises – Property owners must maintain safe premises. They could be liable for amputations following a slip and fall accident, falling objects, or negligent security, among other instances.
Who Could Be Liable for an Amputation?
Liability for amputation injuries can vary depending on the circumstances surrounding the injury. Here are some potential parties that could be liable:
- Individuals – If the amputation injury results from someone’s intentional or negligent actions, that person may be held personally liable. For example, if someone operates machinery negligently or drives recklessly and causes an amputation injury, they could be held responsible.
- Manufacturers – If a defective product or a product malfunction causes an amputation, the manufacturer or supplier might be held liable. This can include faulty machinery, tools, or equipment that leads to an amputation accident.
- Property owners – If an amputation injury occurs on someone else’s property, such as in a slip and fall accident, the property owner or occupier may be liable. Property owners must maintain their premises and warn visitors of potential hazards that could lead to injuries.
- Healthcare professionals – In some instances, the healthcare professionals involved may be liable if medical negligence or malpractice leads to an amputation injury. Situations that could result in amputation include errors during surgery, misdiagnosis, delayed treatment, or other negligent actions directly resulting in the need for amputation.
The Short and Long-Term Effects of an Amputation
The short-term and long-term effects of an amputation can vary depending on factors such as the level and type of amputation, the individual’s overall health, and the rehabilitation process. Here’s a general overview:
- Short-term effects of amputation – Pain and swelling after surgery, phantom limb sensation (pain or sensation in the missing limb), decreased mobility and independence, depression, anxiety, and difficulty adjusting to limb loss
- Long-term effects of amputation – Adapting to prosthetic limbs, muscle imbalance, joint strain, significant lifestyle adjustments (modifying living space, transportation issues, and daily activities), self-esteem and body image concerns, psychological trauma
Compensation Available for Amputation Victims in St. Louis
An amputation lawsuit seeks compensation for the victim’s physical, emotional, and financial losses from the at-fault party.
Our St. Louis amputation lawyers can seek money to pay for a victim’s economic losses, such as medical care, including surgery, hospitalization, prosthetics, rehabilitation, medication, modifications to the home (such as wheelchair ramps), and lost wages.
We can also pursue money to cover your non-economic losses, which could include pain and suffering, loss of consortium, disability, disfigurement, and diminished quality of life.
We are ready to review your situation for free and calculate the full extent of all your losses during a free and confidential consultation.
Statute of Limitations for Amputation Injuries in Missouri
Missouri’s statute of limitations allows five years to file an amputation lawsuit after an accident. Should you fail to file a claim within this time, you will likely not be entitled to pursue compensation in court. The sooner you contact us, the sooner we can get started building a strong case for your financial recovery.
Contact Us for a Free Consultation with a St. Louis Amputation Lawyer
Our St. Louis amputation lawyers with Sumner Law Group, LLC, are ready to protect your rights and use every legal tool necessary to help you pursue the maximum compensation you deserve for your injuries and losses. You pay nothing unless we win money for you.
Contact Sumner Law Group, LLC, for a free consultation today.
