Losing a leg in an accident is always going to have a dramatic impact on your ability to function as you did before. Importantly, if you’ve lost a leg in an accident or incident due to somebody else’s negligence you could be entitled to compensation. Therefore, this guide will explain how much compensation for losing a leg could be paid following a road traffic accident, medical negligence, accidents at work or any other type of accident. We’ll also guide you through the claims process and time limits associated with claiming loss of leg compensation.

We have a team of specialists on hand to help you understand your options. Initially, they’ll provide free legal advice during a no-obligation telephone consultation should you call us. After answering your questions, they’ll refer you to one of our personal injury solicitors if your claim appears to have strong grounds. Importantly, our solicitors provide a No Win No Fee service for any claim they accept so legal fees are only payable if you receive a compensation settlement.

Please read on to learn more about claiming compensation for losing a leg or call our team on 0800 6524 881 for a free assessment of your claim right away.

Am I Eligible To Claim Compensation For Losing A Leg?

If you’ve lost a leg and want to claim compensation, one of our advisors will check whether you’ve got a reasonable chance of success before passing your case to one of our personal injury solicitors. The criteria they’ll check will include:

• Did the defendant owe you a duty of care legally; and
• Was the defendant negligent in some way; and
• Did you lose your leg as a direct result of that negligence?

Don’t worry if you’re not sure whether you were owed a duty of care or not as this is something we’ll assess when you contact us. Essentially, many laws are in place to protect you and put the onus on others to try to protect you. For example, a surgeon has a duty of care to provide a reasonable level of care. Similarly, employers have a duty of care to try to keep workers safe and drivers have a duty of care to try and avoid accidents by driving in accordance with the Highway code.

Common Accidents Leading To Loss Of Leg Compensation Claims

Essentially, if you or a loved one has lost a leg in any type of accident that was not your fault, you could be compensated for your suffering. Some of the more common incidents that lead to loss of leg compensation claims include:

• Accidents at work. If an employee or worker has lost a leg in a workplace accident it must be reported to the government under RIDDOR If the accident was caused by faulty equipment, inadequate training, a lack of PPE or any other form of employer negligence, you could sue the employer for compensation.
• Road Traffic Accidents (RTAs). Losing a leg because of a road traffic collision could lead to a claim if the accident was caused by another driver speeding, driving carelessly, being distracted by their phone or driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol.
• Medical negligence. You could claim compensation against the NHS or a private hospital if you lost a leg because of medical misdiagnosis, delayed treatment or because of a mistake made during your treatment (including surgical errors).
• Explosions. While rare, it is possible for an explosion to lead to the loss of a leg. You could be compensated if the incident occurred because of poor safety checks or faulty equipment for example.

Even if we’ve not provided a scenario similar to yours here, we could still help you claim compensation for the loss of a leg. Please get in touch with a member of our team for a free consultation.

The Impact Of Losing A Leg

Losing a leg is one of the worst possible outcomes of an accident caused by somebody else. Not only can losing a leg mean you’ve suffered a lot of pain but it will very likely also result in long-term changes in your life.

The physical effects of losing a leg might mean you’re no longer able to:

• Play sports like football as you did before.
• Carry on working in the same role.
• Be as involved in your family and social activities.
• Drive.

You may also experience stump pain or phantom limb pain, or both. Emotionally, the loss of a leg can lead to:

• Depression.
• Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD).
• Distorted body image.
• Low self-esteem.
• Social isolation.

As well as the effects listed above, if you’ve lost a leg, you may have an increased dependency on others. For all of these reasons, you may wish to claim compensation for the loss of a leg if your injury was caused by somebody else.

How Much Compensation Do You Get For Losing A Leg?

If you make a successful compensation claim for losing a leg, your settlement amount will be based on how you’ve suffered (general damages) and any financial impact (special damages). No two claims are the same but, in theory, compensation for the loss of a leg could cover:

• Your physical pain and suffering (immediate and ongoing).
• How losing a leg has reduced your ability to participate in your usual hobbies and activities (loss of amenity).
• Mental health injuries.
• Care costs (to cover the cost of professional carers or a family member’s time).
• Loss of income and future loss of earnings.
• Modifications to your home or vehicle to help you cope with your disability. This could include hoists, lifts or changes to make wheelchair access easier.
• Travel expenses.
• Rehabilitation costs including private psychology treatment.

It’s important to point out that you could claim if your leg was amputated traumatically during an accident. Also, you could claim if your leg was crushed or injured so badly in the accident that it could not be saved by surgery.

What’s The Average Settlement For The Loss Of A Leg?

As explained previously, no two claims are the same simply because the impact of losing a leg will vary from person to person. Therefore, we can’t say exactly what payout you might be awarded. However, we are able to provide some guideline compensation amounts as advised by the Judicial College (for general damages).

• £97,980 – £132,990 compensation for the loss of one leg below the knee.
• £104,830 – £137,470 compensation for the loss of one leg above the knee.
• £201,490 – £270,100 for a loss of both legs below the knee.
• £240,790 – £282,010 for the loss of both legs above the knee.

When calculating a settlement for losing a leg, an independent medical expert will need to assess how you’ve been affected and how the loss of your leg will affect you in the future. This assessment can usually be arranged locally for claimants. If one of our solicitors takes on your claim, they’ll work with you to ascertain they fully understand how you’ve been affected. They’ll then fight to try and secure as much compensation as possible for you.

Evidence To Support A Compensation Claim

To try and present as strong a compensation claim as possible for you, your solicitor will try to gather as much evidence as they can. This needs to show why the defendant was responsible for you losing a leg and how you’ve been affected. The types of evidence that would typically improve your chances include:

• Medical notes from the hospital where you were treated. Reports may also be obtained from a psychiatrist as well.
• Dashcam or security camera footage that shows how your accident occurred.
• Accident report forms that prove when and where your accident occurred.
• Details of anybody else who saw the accident happen so your solicitor can collect witness statements if required.
• Accident scene photographs or videos to help show the cause of your injuries.
• Proof of any financial losses such as receipts and bank statements.

If you’re having trouble obtaining evidence then please don’t hesitate in contacting our advisors as our solicitors have many years of experience in this field.

Time Limits For Claiming Loss Of Leg Compensation

If you make a personal injury claim after losing a leg, you’ll have to claim within a 3-year limitation period. In most cases, this will start from the date of the accident.

To allow plenty of time to collect evidence, we suggest that you seek legal advice sooner rather than later. In some cases, an early start will allow your solicitor to request an interim payment to cover the cost of private rehabilitation or surgery.

In exceptional circumstances, the 3-year time limit can be extended. This might be possible, for example, if you didn’t have the mental capacity to make a claim straight away. Please call our team if you’d like to check if you still have time to act.

Starting The Loss Of Leg Compensation Claims Process

If you’d now like to talk to us about starting the claims process for the loss of your leg, please call on 0800 6524 881 today. You’ll be under no obligation but we’ll assess your chances of being compensated and explain your options for free.

If your claim is handled by one of our solicitors, you won’t pay any legal fees unless compensation is awarded.

Please connect to an advisor via live chat if you’ve got any further questions about how much compensation for losing a leg you may be entitled to.