CHICAGO AMPUTATION LAWYER
PRACTICE AREAS
Chicago Accidental Amputation Lawyer
The loss of a limb is traumatic in and of itself. People who lose a limb as a result of a catastrophic accident may suffer agony and misery for years, making it difficult for them to work. Even with adequate financial means, limb prostheses may cost tens of thousands of dollars—not to mention the time spent adapting to the device, the hours of physical therapy, and the lost productivity as a result of its use. All these reasons point to the purpose of hiring an amputation lawyer. With the help of someone well-versed in the legal realm, you can focus on recovery while we focus on the red tape and litigation.
At Curcio Law Offices, we have extensive experience handling a variety of personal injury cases, including catastrophic injuries, motor vehicle accidents, and even wrongful death. No matter how large or small your loss, you deserve to have your voice heard. That’s exactly what we focus on in our practice. If you’d like to get in touch with a Chicago amputation lawyer who’s compassionate and aggressive in their defense of you, contact Curcio Law Offices today. Call 312-321-1111 today for your free consultation.
What Benefits Can an Amputee Claim in Chicago?
Amputees might get Social Security disability compensation. If your amputation prevents you from working or living alone, you may be eligible for disability payments from the Social Security Administration. You must fulfill the SSA’s Blue Book listing to be eligible for disability payments for your amputation. Those who qualify meet one or more of the following criteria.
- Both hands amputated
- One or both lower extremities amputated at or above the ankle, with complications of the stump which prevent the use of prosthetics; They are not expected to heal within 12 months
- One hand and lower extremity at or above the ankle amputated, with difficulty or inability to walk or move effectively
- Hemipelvectomy or hip disarticulation
How Much Does an Amputation Cost in Chicago?
The average cost of an amputation for people without health insurance is from $20,000 to $60,000, including the surgeon’s charge, facility fee, anesthesia, and medical supplies. The cost varies depending on whatever part of the body is amputated; for example, a toe amputation is at the low end of the cost spectrum, while an above-the-knee amputation is at the high end.
Amputation surgery is usually covered by health insurance, even if a patient decides to have it done because of discomfort or a useless limb. For patients with health insurance, typical out-of-pocket expenditures for inpatient surgery would include a copay or coinsurance of 10 to 20% or more of the overall cost, which would be capped at the yearly out-of-pocket limit.
Costs Included in Amputation Surgery
The surgeon will do an assessment before the procedure to determine how much tissue will be removed. Anesthesia will be given on the day of surgery, and the patient will be linked up to equipment that will monitor his or her vital signs. The surgeon next cuts through the skin and muscle, clamping and sewing healthy blood vessels and manipulating the skin and muscles to ensure that a prosthesis would fit comfortably over the stump. In certain situations, the surgeon will keep the skin flaps open for a few days before closing them to check for any unhealthy or diseased tissue that has to be removed. A hospital stay of five to two weeks is generally necessary following surgery. We recommend reviewing the basics of amputation offered by The Society for Vascular Surgery.
Additional Costs for Amputation
Physical rehabilitation is required after an amputation. A prosthesis is produced for many people who have their limbs amputated. A prosthesis can cost anything from a few thousand dollars for a simple limb to more than $40,000 for a high-tech limb with a computer chip. Because many health insurance companies have minimal limitations on how much they would pay for prostheses, many patients are forced to pay out of pocket. Prosthetic limbs are likewise subject to wear and tear and must be replaced.
How Much Compensation Do You Get for Leg Amputation?
Generalizing the worth or average of a possible lawsuit or settlement might be difficult in most situations. This is due to the fact that each case is unique, and the factors and circumstances surrounding these instances can dramatically alter the case value. For example, if we tried to calculate an average, there’s a strong possibility it wouldn’t be correct due to the large number of factors that go into each case. It would be a disservice to one of our clients to present this average to them because there is no assurance that their case would fall within that range.
On average, if the majority of your leg was amputated and the responsible party was completely irresponsible, your limb amputation case is worth more than $150,000. If your injuries prohibit you from performing your job obligations or stop you from working in the future, a case may be worth more than $400,000. If you were left with chronic agony and required multiple medical treatments, or if the accident could have been avoided in some manner, a limb amputation lawsuit involving gross negligence on the part of a property owner or corporation can be worth over $1,000,000.
What Are Economic and Noneconomic Damages for Amputation Injuries?
Following an amputation, plaintiffs are entitled to compensation for all of their losses, including medical expenses, lost earnings, prostheses, pain and suffering, and any additional damages. Economic damages are damages that have a monetary worth, such as lost earnings and medical expenditures. There is no limit to these damages, but other losses, such as pain and suffering, are noneconomic damages with no set monetary value. Below, we list some of the damages you receive entitlement for in an amputation case.
Economic Damages for Amputations in Illinois
Economic damages for accidental amputations in Illinois can include:
- Past, current and future medical bills
- Loss of income
- Loss of potential future income
Noneconomic Damages for Amputations in Illinois
Noneconomic damages for accidental amputations in Illinois can include:
- Pain and suffering
- Emotional distress and mental anxiety
- Loss of consortium
Does Losing Your Limb Shorten Your Life?
One explanation is that after amputation, body mass loss causes changes in cardiorespiratory function. A decrease in myocardial contractility can be seen after traumatic amputations. Furthermore, following severe amputation, metabolic demand is greater, however this may not be a concern in young and physically active individuals. Aside from the numerous methodological flaws in the data that supports this idea, a more rational examination acknowledges that this theory may not entirely explain higher mortality. According to this study, patients would just slow down their ambulation to compensate.
What Causes an Amputation Injury?
Traumatic amputation or loss of limb refers to an unplanned amputation that occurs as a result of an accident or injury. Approximately 30,000 persons in the United States are projected to have traumatic amputations each year. Below, we list the most common causes of amputation injuries.
- Motor vehicle accidents
- Workplace accidents
- Industrial industries
- Electrocution accidents
- Bicycle accidents
- Pedestrian accidents
- Construction accidents
- Agricultural accidents
- Dooring accidents
- Poorly managed diabetes in nursing homes
Life will never be the same for these folks and their families. They will have to cope with the mental pain of losing a part of their body, as well as re-learn actions and motions that they previously took for granted, such as walking, running, picking up things, fine motor skills, and so on. With the aid of a competent amputation lawyer, these victims deserve justice.
Why Do You Need a Chicago Amputation Lawyer?
After losing a leg, arm, hand, finger, foot, or toe, sufferers face continuous financial obligations in addition to the physical and financial toll of losing a limb. The patient’s expenditures might be overwhelming, and the long-term costs of their injury could jeopardize their family’s future. If the wounded victim’s injuries are the product of someone else’s negligence, hiring an amputation lawyer can help. As the wounded victim, you may be able to submit a claim for large sums of money to cover the costs of making modifications to your daily routine. If you’re in need of an aggressive, compassionate amputation attorney, those at Curcio Law Offices are here for you. To schedule your free consultation, please call our Chicago office at 312-321-1111 today.
