Accidents with Loss of Limb and Amputation in California

If you are injured by another driver’s negligence, the losses associated with even a relatively minor accident can be significant. If you suffer a catastrophic injury, such as the loss of a limb or the need for amputation, you can expect your losses to be both ongoing and immense.

If this is the challenging situation you find yourself in, reach out for the professional legal guidance of an experienced California amputation lawyer today.

Accidents Leading to Amputation

The devastating impact of a car accident can lead to every manner of injury, but some of the most serious are those that lead to the need for amputation. Even with the appropriate treatment and care, an amputation can cause ongoing pain and physical and emotional consequences that are difficult to overcome.

Car accidents can lead directly to limb loss or leave a limb so damaged that amputation is required. Losing a limb can interfere with your ability to do your job and live your most rewarding life, which can translate to overwhelming financial, physical, and emotional losses.

Your Losses

If you’ve lost a limb to a car accident caused by someone else’s negligence, your legal damages – or losses – are very likely to be ongoing, which means that recovering from an amputation injury is a process rather than an event. Such losses are generally classified into several basic categories.

Medical expenses

The medical costs associated with amputation injuries are extensive and tend to include all the following:

• Emergency treatment and transportation
• Surgeries and surgical care
• Hospital stays and care
• Medical treatments, procedures, and tests
• Physical and occupational therapy
• Rehabilitation
• Multiple prosthetics and prosthetic maintenance over time

Your medical needs as they relate to amputation and other serious injuries are likely to evolve, and the amount of care you require can become more extensive with time.

Lost earnings

Depending upon the kind of amputation you experience, it can directly interfere with your ability to do your job. This is on top of the losses you experience while you are off the job focusing on your recovery. If your earning potential or career path is negatively altered, it can mean a lifetime of financial loss. Along with lost earnings, a decline in your career can lead to considerable emotional duress.

Physical and emotional pain and suffering

The physical and emotional pain and suffering associated with an amputation injury can be difficult to overstate. To begin with, phantom pain in the lost limb is very real and can be difficult to treat effectively. Additionally, a loss of this nature is so immense that many victims suffer profound emotional effects that can include the following:

• Increased anxiety
• Severe mood swings
• Sleep disturbances, such as insomnia and night terrors
• Increased irritability
• Fear of getting back behind the wheel
• Accident flashbacks
• Self-isolation and a tendency to push away the support of others
• Depressive episodes
• Loss of appetite
• Loss of enjoyment in the things that once brought pleasure
• Difficulty concentrating
• Difficulty moving forward in the recovery process
• Memory issues

Pain and suffering are more difficult to tally in terms of cost, but they can also be one of the most challenging obstacles to overcome on the path toward recovery.

The Big Picture in Compensating Amputation Injuries

In order to address your full range of losses and reach your most complete recovery, it’s critical that you include not only current losses but also those that are expected to be ongoing. An experienced California amputation attorney has the skill and legal insight to assess your future losses and ensure that they are well represented in your car accident claim. Failing to obtain just compensation can seriously interfere with your ability to live your fullest life post-accident.

Don’t Wait to Reach Out to an Experienced California Amputation Attorney

The trusted California amputation lawyers at One Law Group are committed to helping clients who’ve suffered serious injuries like the loss of a limb obtain just compensation, which allows them to recover to the fullest extent possible. Our formidable legal team is on your side and here to help, so please don’t wait to contact or call us at 310-923-9420 for more information about what we can do to help you today.

Amputation Injury FAQs

Do I need an amputation lawyer?

The losses associated with an amputation are so immense that obtaining fair compensation is critical. The best way to accomplish this is with a seasoned amputation lawyer with a wealth of experience guiding challenging claims like yours toward advantageous outcomes on your side. You owe it to yourself and your future to work closely with an experienced California amputation lawyer from the outset.

Will my claim go to trial?

Most car accident claims are settled out of court, and, likely, yours will also settle. In claims involving serious injuries like amputation, however, it’s very important to obtain just compensation that addresses your ongoing physical, financial, and emotional losses. If the insurance company refuses to cover these losses in good faith, your amputation attorney may advise you to proceed with a lawsuit against them, and your attorney will be well prepared to effectively and efficiently take on this legal challenge.

How can I afford an amputation attorney?

After suffering an injury as serious as an amputation, it’s not surprising that you’re concerned about paying for legal representation. However, most reputable amputation attorneys work on contingency, which means their pay is contingent upon – or based upon – the outcome of the cases they take on. If your claim settles or goes to court and receives a court award, you’ll owe your amputation attorney a prearranged percentage of the amount you receive, but if neither is forthcoming, you won’t owe your attorney anything.