Amputations And Your Attorney
Losing a limb, or any part of your body, in any type of an accident will change your life as you know it, and you may be entitled to significant financial compensation.
At Heiting & Irwin, our lawyers work very hard to make sure clients are fully compensated for their injuries and all of the losses and all the damages they have and / or will suffer (past and future). Our lawyers have well over 100 years of combined experience, and have recovered over half a billion dollars for clients. Contact the firm today to learn how to put this experience to work for you in your personal injury or workers’ compensation claim.
Heiting & Irwin is located at 6346 Brockton Ave, Riverside, CA 92506, near the Riverside Plaza. Call us today at (951) 682-6400 to schedule a free initial consultation.
Recent Google Review:
Clients appreciate diligent customer service and high level of responsiveness. One client writes: “The overall experience we received at Heiting and Irwin was outstanding! We appreciated many things during our time with this law firm including the quality communication provided to us which includes responsiveness, clarity and timeliness.”
Accidents That Can Cause an Amputation
An amputation can result from a great variety of causes such as direct trauma, continuous trauma, infection, disease, toxicity, and others. For example, a limb could be trapped and under significant pressure, resulting in a dangerous crush injury, resulting in a necessary amputation. Amputations can be the result of the following types of incidents:
- Accidents involving vehicles and even public transportation
- Product liability injuries (such as malfunctioning equipment at home or work)
- Truck accidents
- Agricultural accidents
- Electrocutions
- Infections
- Diseases or toxicity caused by exposure
The Short- and Long-Term Effects of an Amputation
The loss of a part of your body will have a significant impact on your life. In the short-term, one may find they are unable to do their job and earn the money needed to pay bills. In addition, large medical expenses can be running up that need to be paid.
Not only can an amputation take away your ability to work, but it can also have other significant effects. For example, a 2024 study found that roughly one out of every three amputees experienced clinically significant depression in the wake of their injury. Whether it is restrictions on activities or social discomfort, amputees will very often lose the quality of life that they enjoyed before the accident. These effects can persist for the rest of your life. The attorneys engaged to help can help with those issues. They can engage the right experts, get the right counselors and arrange the right treatment.
How to Seek Compensation for an Amputation Injury
If your amputation injury was caused by the negligence of another person or company, you may file a personal injury or work comp claim to seek compensation.
Even though you have not reached the point of Maximum medical improvement, and, you may not know whether you would be able to regain some function through the use of a prosthetic, and, you may not know the full effects of the amputation injury on your mental health, doctors are trying to amputate months after the injury. It is important to get a lawyer on board as soon as possible.
You can file an insurance claim against the responsible party’s policy, or you may file a lawsuit. Even if you have begun by dealing with the insurance company, it is important to get a lawyer involved at the earliest possible moment.
Amputations in a Workers’ Compensation Claim
The type of amputation and damages that you have suffered will impact the determination of. If you have lost a body part that leaves you permanently disabled and unable to work, you can become eligible for continuing, even lifetime, benefits. The amount of your settlement is determined by a number of factors:
- The body part that was amputated and limitations caused
- Your ability to perform any work
- Your age
- Your occupation
- The impact that the amputation will have on your future earnings potential
A disability rating is calculated and determined through evaluation of medical opinions and reports. This disability rating will control the amount of compensation you could receive. If you have received a lower disability rating than what your condition warrants, you are entitled to a second opinion, and you can fight it in a hearing. A worker’s comp specialist is very helpful with these claims.
Personal injury claims differ from workers comp. Both envision lifetime medical needs and lost earning capcity and disabilities. Methods of calculation differ greatly. An experienced lawyer who has dealt with amputation issues can be invaluable in both areas of the law.
Contact a Riverside Amputations Injury Law Firm
If you or a loved one has suffered an amputation in an accident, the Riverside amputation lawyers at Heiting & Irwin are here to fight for you at every step of the way. You can schedule a free initial consultation by messaging online or by calling today at (951) 682-6400. The initial conversation is free, and you pay nothing for attorney time and services unless you win.
