Amputations as a result of clinical negligence can occur in a variety of settings. From underlying conditions being left untreated or incorrectly treated which lead to a deterioration resulting in amputation or due to a misdiagnosis. 

Examples of amputation negligence

Some common examples include:

• Delays in diagnosing and treating ischaemia.
• Poor diabetic care (especially when there is damage to the foot that is not treated adequately).
• Failure to diagnose and adequately treat meningitis.
• Delayed diagnosis of cancer. 
• Delayed management of limb fractures.

Amputations from clinical negligence are thankfully very rare, but when they do happen, they can have a significant impact on the individual and their family.  From physical and mental impacts to mobility issues.

Day-to-day care, and even the ability to work can be affected.  Some people require adaptations to their home and car to recover from amputation negligence. 

Amputation of larger limbs such as a leg will usually lead to a larger settlement than a minor amputation, like a finger, as they have a greater impact on day to day life.

Types of amputation claims and associated issues 

The following amputations can lead to the following problems and out-of-pocket expenses:

Leg or foot:

• Prosthetic leg and/or foot.
• Wheelchair.
• Home adaptations such as hand rails, ramps and stair lifts.
• Rehabilitation, such as physiotherapy and psychotherapy to help you to learn how to walk again with the prosthetic leg and to mentally cope with your new way of life.
• Loss of earnings through being unable to work or to the same capacity as before.

Arm and/or hand:

• If you lose your more dominant hand this will be reflected in the amount of compensation that you will receive. This is because this will have a greater impact on your life as you will need to re-learn how to write, drive and conduct other manual tasks.
• Losing an arm or hand may make it impossible to carry on working in the same role or to the same capacity as you did before the amputation.

Toe or finger:

• The loss of a toe can make it difficult to balance, walk or run, the impact can be especially worse if it is the big toe that is amputated.
• The loss of a finger or thumb can also make it difficult to carry out everyday tasks like carrying items, eating and typing.

How much is an amputation claim worth?

Amputation of larger limbs such as a leg will usually lead to a larger settlement due to the impact on day-to-day life. More minor amputations, like fingers and toes, will still be possible to claim for.

The amount of compensation that you will receive will be dependent on which finger or toe is amputated, as specific ones have a worse impact than others.