Suffering an amputation can be one of the most traumatic and life changing experiences you may experience. It may also cause psychological and emotional distress as well as the physical injury. Fingers, toes, hands, arms feet and legs are most common areas requiring amputation after a work related injury.
There are two types of amputations, either ‘traumatic’ or ‘surgical’ amputations. A traumatic amputation is where the body part lost during the incident, such as losing a finger with a chainsaw or other heavy machinery. Whereas a surgical amputation is performed in hospital after it is clear that the limb is either cannot be saved or has a high risk of infection due to the manner in which the injury occurred. An example is where an amputation has occurred with farming machinery.
A recent case involved a client who lost all four fingers and thumb on his dominant hand after trying to unblock a leaf collector. He was awarded £500,000 compensation. This was not only because of the immediate injury, but also involved his immediate loss of earnings, his disadvantage on the labour market and also the cost of care and specialist equipment that he requires as a result of his disability.
When you suffer an amputation the combination of physical limitations and psychological trauma can be severe and potentially cause clinical depression or post traumatic stress disorder. Furthermore, there a chance of developing ‘phantom limb pain’ where the amputee feels sensations, pain or itchiness in the missing limb. The treatment that follows an amputation may include further surgery, skin graphs and expensive medicines to combat the high risks of infection. Having an experienced attorney will help make sure you receive enough compensation to cover all of your needs, particularly as much of the treatment may be provided outside the NHS.
The Provisions and Use of Work Equipment Regulations 1998, Personal Protective Equipment at Work Regulations 1992 and the Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999 all provide the employer with a duty to prevent injuries occurring in the workplace. Employees must be provided with sufficient safety training, appropriate personal protective equipment and fully risk assessed.
To achieve and successful amputation claim, you will need to establish that your employer was at fault, or negligent in the performance of his duties under the relevant legislation. However, these types of case are often complex and extensive. If you have suffered such an injury, it is paramount that you use a firm such as What’s my claim worth who have an outstanding track record with these types of claims. The damages we help you receive will be assessed on factors such as pain, deterioration of life style, cost of medical treatment, loss of earnings, psychological suffering and expected length of treatment.
In general, the majority of compensation claims for amputations at work involve:
- Finger Amputations Claims
- Arm Amputations Claims
- Leg Amputations Claims
Contact What’s my claim worth on 0800 849 2220 for further information on making an amputation claim.
