By Mark Ainsdale. Last Updated 24th June 2024. A hand amputation can have serious and permanent effects on your day-to-day life. If you’ve been involved in an accident that has resulted in hand amputation, you may be interested in making a personal injury claim. However, you will need to prove that your injury was caused by a relevant third party breaching their duty of care.
In this guide, we will explain the personal injury claims process and the criteria you must meet to be able to make a claim. We will also discuss the duty of care you are owed in various situations.
We will also discuss how legal professionals calculate compensation for each hand amputation claim and the evidence that could be used to support your claim for compensation. Furthermore will explore the benefits of claiming with a No Win No Fee solicitor.
Read on to learn more, or contact our advisors today to get started. Our team of friendly advisors can offer a free consultation through which they can evaluate your claim and help you identify if you are eligible for compensation. To get started:
- Call us on 0800 073 8804
- Use the live chat feature for instant support
- Contact us online
Select a Section
- Can I Claim Compensation For A Hand Amputation?
- What Types Of Hand Amputation Can You Claim Compensation For?
- How To Begin A Hand Amputation Claim
- How Is Compensation Calculated In Hand Amputation Claims?
- How Legal Expert Can Help You
Can I Claim Compensation For A Hand Amputation?
So, when can you make a hand amputation claim? First, you need to prove that someone owed you a duty of care. This means that they had a legal responsibility to keep you safe.
Whether or not you were owed a duty of care depends on where you were, and what you were doing. For example, while you’re working, you’re owed a duty of care by your employer, as outlined in the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974 (HASAWA). Under this legislation, they need to take all reasonably practicable steps to keep you safe while working.
When you’re in public, you’re owed a duty of care by the person in control of that space. This is outlined in the Occupiers’ Liability Act 1957 (OLA). Under this legislation, they need to make sure the space is reasonably safe for visitors.
On the roads, all drivers owe each other a duty of care, and need to comply with the Highway Code and the Road Traffic Act 1988. This means that they need to use the roads in a way that avoids causing harm to others.
Then, you need to prove that this duty of care was breached and that you were injured as a result. For example, your employer could breach their duty of care by asking you to work with machinery that they know is broken. If this caused catastrophic damage to your hand, resulting in an amputation, you could potentially claim compensation.
To find out if you could be eligible to make a hand amputation claim, get in touch with our team today.
What Types Of Hand Amputation Can You Claim Compensation For?
Whether caused by traumatic means or surgically necessary after trauma to the hand or arm, you are likely to have had your hand amputated in one of the following ways.
- Total hand amputation is usually taken at the wrist and leaves you with a stump at the end of your forearm.
- Partial hand amputation – This involves part of the palm and affected fingers
- Finger amputation – This type requires amputation at the end of the fingers, before the palm.
Whatever type of hand amputation you have suffered, you may be able to claim compensation for your injuries. The amount payable will be determined, taking into account the type of amputation, the effect that it has had on your life and your prognosis. In some cases, you may be able to have a prosthesis fitted, whilst in others, you may retain some dexterity and have to learn what is left of the hand in a different way to perform some activities. In extreme cases, the area is deemed useless, and there is no hope for improvement via prosthesis or physiotherapy.
How To Begin A Hand Amputation Claim
Beginning hand amputation claims could be done any time after the accident, as long as it is within three years of the date of the incident or three years of your 18th birthday if you were a minor when the accident occurred. All you have to do to begin is call us. One of our team will take you through the initial consultation process, asking pertinent questions, answering any questions that you may have about your claim or our No Win No Fee agreement, which means you will not have to pay any funds upfront to go ahead with your claim. Once the agreement has been signed, we will arrange a medical appointment locally with you, where a professional will analyse your injuries and your prognosis and write a full report.
You will be matched with a solicitor with the experience and knowledge of the area you are claiming in, be it accidents at work, road traffic accidents or loss of limb compensation claims. Your solicitor will begin working on your claim to maximise the amount of compensation you receive, pushing for as high a payout as possible.
We will, of course, keep you updated through the process, and if you have any reason to get in touch with us, then we are only a phone call away at all times.
How Is Compensation Calculated In Hand Amputation Claims?
There are so many different types of hand amputation that we can’t guarantee a specific payout amount. However, what we can do is illustrate in general terms the typical amount for specific injuries. So, we have the table below, which should give you some idea of how much you could receive.
However, it is essential to remember that no two claims are the same. And what may seem like a similar case to yours might not be in terms of the person’s job prospects. Therefore, we stress that this table is a guide only. But if you require any further guidance on how much compensation for a hand amputation is possible, don’t hesitate to call.
| Reason for Compensation | Typical Award for Compensation |
|---|---|
| Multiple Severe Injuries And Special Damages | Up to £1,000,000+ |
| Total or Effective Loss of Both Hands | £171,680 to £245,900 |
| Total of Effective Loss of One Hand | £117,360 to £133,810 |
| Middle/index Finger Amputation | £75,550 to £110,750 |
| Amputation of the Little Finger | £10,550 to £14,940 |
| Amputation of the Ring and Little Fingers | In the region of £26,620 |
| Amputation of the thumb | £43,350 to £66,920 |
What Else Could I Claim?
Within a compensation claim for an arm amputation, there are several different types of damages. Here, we show you what you could be claiming for as part of your compensation suit:
- Damages in General – General awards tend to be payouts for the actual injuries you suffer, both mental and physical, and take your pain and suffering into account. See our injury compensation calculator table below for more information.
- Medical expenses – Any types of medical expense can be claimed for here, whether something small like pain relief prescription costs, or something more expensive, such as modifications to your car or home where required, as well as counselling bills if you have required this as a direct result of your accident.
- Care expenses – If someone helps you with day-to-day activities after your hand amputation.
- Earning losses – Both the actual income and future wages if you’re off work for some time. In addition, there are your current salary and promotion prospects.
- Travel costs – Whether travelling to an appointment about your claim or for a medical appointment.
If you have costs and are unsure whether these can form your claim, please call us. We will tell you if your costs could be within the scope of a compensation claim.
How Legal Expert Can Help You
It often seems unfair that you are likely to face an uncertain financial future on top of a terrible accident. We offer a No Win No Fee compensation claims service to take action ASAP without any upfront costs. We also feel you should not have to pay anything out should your case not be successful.
Our No Win No Fee agreement outlines all of the details of this policy and is clear and transparent. If, however, you’re unable to understand it, we can talk you through any queries you might have. We want you to be clear on exactly how it works and how you can gain top-quality legal representation.
Contact Our Team
It is easy to begin a claim with us, but we understand that you may have some queries. Call 0800 073 8804, and we can talk you through any aspect of a hand amputation compensation claim. We will always answer honestly and won’t push you into taking action if you’re not ready or willing to. There’s really no reason not to get answers to your questions about amputation claims from professionals, so call us today.
Alternatively, if you are ready to start a personal injury claim with us, we will act quickly to begin the process as soon as possible, allowing you to let us take care of the paperwork, keeping you fully informed of your claim’s progress every step of the way.
Hand Amputation Claims Helpful links
If you have lost a finger as part of an accident, this page may be worth visiting. This takes you to our complete guide on finger and partial finger amputation compensation claims.
Our general guide to amputation compensation claims gives you general advice on amputation claims. You may find this useful.
If you have suffered an accident at work, this guide offers actionable advice on claiming against your employer.
Thank you for reading our hand amputation claims guide.
