Seattle Amputation Lawyer

Amputation is one of the most severe injuries you can sustain in an accident. If someone else’s actions caused your amputation, you can face severe pain and emotional suffering, intensive medical care, lost wages, and more — impacting your quality of life.

If you lost one of your limbs due to someone else’s negligence, Colburn Law can help you seek justice. Our Seattle personal injury attorneys will utilize the full extent of our firm’s resources to maximize your recovery.

Why Choose Our Seattle Amputation Lawyers

Our Seattle amputation injury lawyers understand how difficult it is to travel with a recent injury. We will meet you at your home, hospital room, or another location upon your request.
You will have direct communication with our lead attorney, Greg Colburn, throughout your case process. We will take the time to learn your story and answer any questions you may have.
Our contingency fee system allows you to seek compensation without further out-of-pocket expenses. We do not charge legal fees unless we secure a settlement on your behalf.

The Impact of an Amputation

Amputation is the removal of a limb, such as an arm, leg, finger, toe, hand, or foot. The loss of a limb can occur as a result of trauma or an illness like diabetes or cancer. A surgeon may also amputate a body part out of medical necessity, such as to stop an infection or remove a limb damaged beyond repair.

A partial or complete amputation of any body part can have a significant impact on your life. You may require new accommodations and extensive medical care. You may be unable to return to your previous position or go to work at all.

Many people who have suffered an amputation injury experience depression, emotional distress, and psychological trauma. In fact, a 2017 study analyzed a group of 59 amputees and uncovered the following results:

71.2% of participants had major depressive disorder
30.5% of participants experienced suicidality
20.3% of participants developed post-traumatic stress disorder

Common Causes of Limb Loss

In some cases, you may suffer extensive damage to an arm or a leg that your doctor may recommend amputation, and in others, you may suffer a traumatic amputation during the course of an accident. Many actions can contribute to the loss of a limb or a medically required amputation.

Car accidents: You can suffer limb damage during the course of a car accident, whether you were in a motor vehicle, on a bicycle or motorcycle, or even crossing the street.
Machinery accidents: If you work with heavy machinery, many accidents can result in mangling damage or the loss of a limb completely.
Collisions with heavy objects: A heavy object falling onto your limb or crushing you against a hard surface can result in irreparable damage.
Burns from fires, chemicals, or electrical equipment: Third and fourth-degree burn injuries may damage your muscles, nerves, and bones, and your surgeon may recommend amputation if the damage is too severe to repair.

Who Is Liable for an Amputation?

In Washington, your legal options following an amputation depend on who is responsible for the injury and where the injury occurred. If your accident happened at work, you can file a workers’ compensation claim to receive funds for medical expenses and lost wages, regardless of negligence.

However, filing a workers’ comp claim would prevent you from filing a personal injury lawsuit against your employer. You can file a personal injury lawsuit against a third-party involved in the accident, such as a contractor, a delivery driver, or the manufacturer of a defective device.

You have the right to collect compensation for an amputation through a personal injury lawsuit if someone else’s negligence caused your injury. The at-fault party depends on the circumstances of your case; the defendant may be a government agency, a private company, another driver, a property owner, or even a negligent medical professional. Your Colburn Law attorney will help you identify the liable party.

Compensation Available for Amputation Victims in Seattle

If you had a limb amputated due to someone else’s negligence, you deserve justice. By filing a lawsuit against the party responsible for your injury, you could hold him or her accountable for the financial, emotional, and physical impact of the disease.

You could recover the following damages in amputation injury lawsuits:

All past and future medical costs associated with the injury, such as surgeries, medications, and follow-up visits
Lost wages and the loss of future earnings that you incurred as a result of the amputation
Any property damage that occurred in the accident where the amputation occurred
Disability accommodations, such as mobility equipment, prosthetics, and home or vehicle modifications
Physical pain and suffering, such as chronic pain and permanent disability
Emotional pain and suffering, including depression, anxiety, emotional distress, and loss of quality of life

If your amputation injury occurred at work and you plan on filing a workers’ compensation claim, you could recover the following benefits:

Medical benefits for all reasonable and necessary treatment for your work-related injury
Vocational rehabilitation services to help you return to the workforce or find a new position
Temporary disability benefits, which provide short-term wage replacement for a certain length of time
Permanent disability benefits, which provide long-term wage replacement for serious workplace injuries, including amputations

Why You Need an Attorney for Your Amputation Claim

After an amputation injury, pursuing litigation can feel like a momentous task. In these situations, you need an attorney who can fight for your best interests and work to recover the compensation that you deserve.

At Colburn Law, our amputation injury lawyer is dedicated to fighting for the rights of injured people. Your lawyer will understand the legal process and has represented many clients in similar cases. He can leverage these skills and knowledge to craft a compelling case in your favor and guide you through each step of your claim.

Your attorney will also work closely with you to identify all of the damages or benefits that you may qualify to receive. He can also calculate your estimated award so that you can fight for the highest possible settlement. Your lawyer will represent you during all important proceedings and advocate aggressively to protect your best interests.

Contact Colburn Law for a Free Consultation

If you had to undergo amputation as a result of someone else’s negligent actions, you have the right to seek justice for your damages. A personal injury lawsuit provides a pathway to collect compensation for physical, financial, and emotional losses — and Colburn Law can guide you through this process.