Thompsons: here to help you get the best compensation package possible

An amputation injury is likely to be life-changing; depending on the circumstances you are likely to need significant treatment and rehabilitation and, alongside the physical injury, there may well be psychological injury as well.

At Thompsons, our dedicated and expert personal injury solicitors are committed to providing a service which offers support and guidance throughout your claim.

It is our mission to ensure you receive the fullest amount of compensation possible for your injuries, so that you can proceed post-accident in the knowledge that your financial future is secure.

How is amputation injury compensation worked out?

Any claim for a serious injury will be made up of several different elements and your total sum of compensation is likely to include:

• General damages : this may include sums for pain and suffering, and loss of amenity. There are usually set amounts for particular amputation injuries – for example, £250,000 for the loss of both arms or legs.
• Care and day-to-day help: this includes sums for domestic help – for example, cleaning, shopping and cooking – and should account for past, present and future expenses.
• Specialist equipment: this includes sums for specialised prostheses – including multiple prostheses when necessary. Furthermore, this should include the cost of fitting, maintenance and renewal (most prosthetic limbs will need replacing every few years).
• Rehabilitation and retraining: this includes the cost of occupational therapy and other specialised rehabilitative treatments. For more information about claiming compensation for rehabilitation and retraining as an amputee click here.
• Housing costs: compensation should cover the cost of any adaptations as well as the cost of any move to specialised accommodation – for example, a single-storey bungalow.
• Vehicie costs: compensation for adaptations to your vehicle
• Loss of income: this should include sums for lost future income as well as loss of pension rights. As such this can be a very valuable and complex component of your amputation injury claim.
• Past and future medical and care needs: If your injury has caused you loss or expense and you can prove it, you can claim for it.

Assessing your needs following an amputation injury

During the course of your claim we may instruct the following experts to assess your needs:

• Rehabilitation specialists
• Orthopaedic surgeons
• Consultant psychiatrists
• Prosthesis specialists
• Occupational therapists
• Architects (for home adaptations)
• Employment and retraining consultants

These specialists will be able to fully assess your needs, enabling Thompsons to ensure you receive the fullest support and compensation sums possible.

Making sure you get the best equipment and training for your needs

Sadly, at Thompsons we have found that defenders often undervalue claims and seek to insist that amputation victims will only need the most basic of prosthetic limbs or retraining.

However, we know that specialised, advanced prostheses can offer an amputation injury sufferer a much better quality of life, and with the right rehabilitation and retraining, far-better outcomes in terms of returning to work and quality of life can be achieved.

We also understand that on some occasions there can be complications after the initial treatment which could lead to further health problems, more surgery and maybe even further amputation. This is why we may decide to settle your claim based on your injuries in the present while also reserving the right to claim again at a later date. We will discuss this and all aspects of your claim with you throughout the process.

Talk to Thompsons about your amputation injury claim

Private rehabilitation and advanced prostheses are expensive to fund, so Thompsons' specialist amputation claim solicitors will strive to ensure that your claim reflects all aspects of maintaining your health and well-being and that the final amputation compensation sum awarded can meet your needs now and into the future.

Whenever appropriate, we will seek the payment of interim sums to address immediate needs and to cover the cost of early treatments.

Thompsons Solicitors in Scotland is widely regarded as the leading personal injury law firm in Scotland for serious injury claims and have particular expertise in settling high value cases involving catastrophic injuries. We can arrange to consult with you at a place and time that is convenient to your needs and we have offices in Glasgow, Dundee, Edinburgh, Peebles and Galashiels.

To see our list of Frequently Asked Questions about amputation compensation claims, click here.

To find out more about making a claim for amputation injury compensation, contact Thompsons today on 0800 0891 331 or use our contact form to make an initial enquiry.