Accidents happen every day. Some are lucky enough to walk away unharmed or with only minor injuries. Others are a lot less lucky. You might be so badly injured that the only way to treat the injury is to amputate. This is an incredibly difficult position to be in, and you deserve justice and fair compensation from the person responsible for the accident.
Talk to an attorney about your legal options if you lost a limb or body part because of a terrible accident. Depending on the situation, you might be able to reach a private settlement. Alternatively, you could take the matter to court and let a judge and jury decide the case. Your attorney can help you get the most compensation possible, which could be a large sum depending on the severity of the amputation and how it affects your life. Medical costs, pain, and suffering should all be considered. How your accident happened may help us figure out what kind of evidence we need. Work accidents, vehicle crashes, and medical negligence are just a few examples.
Speak to our amputation injury lawyers at The Carrion Law Firm about your case in a free legal review by calling (718) 841-0083.
Your Legal Options After an Amputation in New York City
Dealing with the loss of a limb can be overwhelming, but it is crucial that you speak to an attorney after you get the medical care you need. An attorney can advise you on whether you can take legal action to recover damages. If legal action is possible, your lawyer can help you decide the best course of action and what your claims might be worth.
You might be able to file a personal injury case. Amputations might happen when a limb is violently severed. It might instead happen after the limb is badly hurt, and doctors determine that it cannot be saved, and amputation might be the only medical option available. The person who caused the accident may be held legally responsible and made to pay you fair compensation. You might receive compensation after a lawsuit or in a private settlement. Either way, your lawyer should be able to assist.
First, our amputation injury lawyers must determine who is responsible for your injuries. Were you hurt by another person, perhaps in a car accident? Maybe you were injured by machinery or tools at your job. Still, maybe your injuries happened some other way. You might have an idea of who is to blame, but you might be wrong, or you might be missing other important people. Talk to a lawyer about when and how to begin your case.
We must file your case before the statute of limitations expires. The statute of limitations for personal injury cases in New York is under C.V.P. Law § 214 and provides you only 3 years to file the case. Your time limit begins on the day you are initially injured, so the clock might already be counting down.
What Your Amputation Injury Might Be Worth in New York City
One of the most important things you and your attorney must decide is what you believe your claims are worth. After an accident and serious injury, especially one that results in an amputation, plaintiffs may claim extensive damages. Your damages, as described in more detail below, account for losses, costs, and painful experiences from the accident. Since losing a limb can be profoundly difficult to endure and costly to treat medically, your damages might be quite significant.
We must also consider how the amputation has affected you beyond pain and medical care. Not all amputations are valued in the same way. Did you lose fingers or toes? An entire hand or foot? An arm or a leg? The larger the amputation, the more compensation you might be entitled to in a civil lawsuit. While losing one finger or a toe can be very painful and traumatic, it is likely not worth as much compensation as the loss of a whole hand or foot. On top of that, the loss of a hand or foot is likely not worth as much as the loss of a whole arm or leg.
We must also consider your ability to work. If your amputation interferes with your job, you might have to find new work. Some people can never return to full-time employment. As the losses add up, so should your financial compensation.
Specific Damages Available in a New York City Amputation Injury Case
Damages in amputation injury cases can be substantial. The loss of a limb can never be adequately compensated with money, but it is the only form of compensation courts can provide. As such, you might be entitled to significant damages and compensation.
Economic Damages
The economic costs of the accident and your injuries might be staggering. First, we must consider your immediate medical needs. After the accident, you might have needed X-rays, surgery, pain medicine, and more. Surgical amputation of a body part is often an intense surgical procedure, and you might be in the hospital for a while.
We should also think about medical aftercare. Maybe once you healed, you needed physical therapy to re-learn certain physical tasks. Maybe you need mobility aids like wheelchairs or crutches to get around. On top of that, amputations can be psychologically traumatic, and you might need psychiatric help. The cost of such help can be very expensive and should be factored into your damages.
Non-Economic Damages
Your non-economic injuries might not be directly tied to monetary costs. However, they may still warrant financial compensation. The physical pain of the amputation might be excruciating. First, the initial injury may have been very painful. In addition, you may experience more pain after the amputation surgery. Phantom pain is a common problem that many amputees deal with.
We must also account for your emotional distress. Injured victims often have a hard time coping with how their bodies have been changed. You might lose work and career opportunities. You might no longer be able to enjoy certain activities or hobbies, particularly those that require physical activity, like working out, hiking, and sports.
Contact Our New York City Amputation Injury Attorneys for Help Now
Speak to our amputation injury lawyers at The Carrion Law Firm about your case in a free legal review by calling (718) 841-0083.