Few injuries are as traumatizing and life-altering as amputation. Whether accidental or the result of a medical necessity, losing an extremity or a limb has a permanent, lasting effect on victims and their loved ones. While amputees are often able to return to work and live long, meaningful lives, their lives will simply never be the same.
If you lost a limb or suffered amputation due to an accident or as a result of someone else’s negligence, you have the right to take legal action against the at-fault party. By filing an injury claim, you can seek financial compensation for your medical bills, lost wages, disability, and other damages. It’s important that you discuss your legal options with an experienced catastrophic injury attorney, one who understands the laws and the systems in place. At Richmond Vona, LLC, we have helped numerous injured victims, including amputees, fight for—and win—the rightful compensation they needed and deserved. We have offices throughout Western New York including Buffalo, Rochester, and Niagara Falls. Our amputation lawyers have secured multimillion-dollar settlements and verdicts, and we are prepared to fight for you.
How Common Is Amputation?
According to the Amputee Coalition, there are about 2 million people in the United States who have lost a limb or extremity and approximately 185,000 amputations take place, whether in hospitals or by accident, every year. The most common causes of amputation in the U.S. are:
- Vascular disease (including diabetes): 54%
- Trauma: 45%
- Cancer: <2%
Studies have also shown that amputation disproportionately affects Black communities in the U.S., with Black people being as much as four times more likely than white people to have an amputation during their lifetimes. Sadly, almost half of all people who require amputation due to vascular disease in the U.S. die within five years. A skilled New York amputation attorney could help seek justice for the loss of a limb.
Who Is to Blame for an Amputation Injury?
While all amputations are life-altering, some are medical necessities. However, traumatic (or accidental) amputations occur at alarming rates throughout the United States. All too often, these injuries are entirely preventable. When a person suffers the loss of a limb due to someone else’s negligence, the negligent party can be held legally liable for the victim’s losses.
In order to determine whether you have grounds for a claim and, if so, who the claim is to be brought against, you must first look at the cause of the amputation. By determining how the injury occurred, you can determine if someone—and who—is to blame.
Some of the common causes of traumatic amputations include:
- Motor vehicle accidents, including those involving cars, trucks, and motorcycles
- Construction accidents involving dangerous, defective, or misused equipment
- Workplace and work-related accidents across a variety of industries
- Defective products leading to traumatic accidents, disease, and/or infection
- Dangerous or defective conditions on public or private property
- Bicycle or pedestrian accidents
- Medical malpractice, including surgical errors
If the accident or event that led to you losing a limb was the result of another person or party’s negligence, wrongdoing, or misconduct, you are entitled to seek financial compensation for your medical bills, ongoing care costs, and other damages. Our New York amputation attorney can help you fight to hold the liable party responsible.
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John Richmond and the team at Richmond Vona did an incredible job with my complicated personal injury case. They made sure no stone was unturned and got me the settlement I deserved for my situation. They treat you well, explain everything you need to know and more so you are always in the loop about the status of your case. John was easy to get in touch with anytime during the process and made signing paperwork easy and understandable. Their entire staff is professional and helpful throughout the process These guys are fair, trustworthy, and will stand up for you!
This firm’s attention to detail is second to none. It’s evident that they are true professionals and really care about their injured clients. This is the firm to call if you have been seriously injured due to someone else’s negligence.
Recoverable Damages in Amputation Injury Cases
The non-surgical amputation of a limb is a medical emergency. A person who suffers accidental amputation will need immediate emergency attention and will need to be taken to a hospital for ongoing monitoring and care. The cost of these injuries can quickly become exorbitant, as amputees require continuous treatment, rehabilitation therapy, prosthetics, and medications. At the same time, they are often unable to return to work, either temporarily or, in the most severe cases, permanently. The loss of income can increase the strain of mounting medical bills, adding stress to an already difficult and emotionally challenging situation.
While every case is different, many victims of traumatic amputation are able to seek compensation for the following damages:
- Emergency medical care costs
- Surgeries and other treatments
- Ambulance fees
- Hospital and emergency room costs
- Rehabilitation therapy
- Medications/pain management
- Medical equipment, including wheelchairs and prosthetics
- Pain and suffering, including emotional distress and trauma
- Counseling services
- Lost wages/income
- Lost future earnings
- Lost or reduced earning ability (disability)
Our NY amputation attorneys take the time to sit down with our potential clients and listen to their stories. We conduct exhaustive investigations in order to uncover exactly what happened, who is at fault, and the full extent of your damages. We often work with medical experts, accident reconstruction specialists, and other professionals in order to build a case that presents the true nature of your injuries and losses.
Contact a New York Amputation Attorney for Legal Assistance
At Richmond Vona, LLC, we work to recover compensation for all of our clients’ losses, both current and future. We know that amputees face a long, difficult road to recovery. Our goal is to make this road a little bit easier by securing the compensation they need to obtain critical medical care and improve the quality of their lives.
Contact us today for a free consultation with one of our amputation lawyers.
