New York City Amputation Lawyers

At Raphaelson & Levine, our amputation attorneys understand that individuals that are involved in a serious accident that resulted in the amputation of a limb face many challenges. You may have lost your job or the ability to work. You may be struggling with physical pain, emotional turmoil, and financial stress.

Our attorneys can help you recover compensation for medical expenses, lost wages, future income loss, and other damages after suffering an amputation injury in New York City or anywhere else in the state of New York.

Located across from Penn Station in New York City, we serve all five boroughs including Manhattan, Brooklyn, Queens, the Bronx, and Staten Island, and will fight hard on your behalf so that you can focus on recovering from your injuries instead of worrying about paying bills and worrying about the future.

If you've suffered the loss of a limb, we can help. Raphaelson & Levine is an award-winning law firm offering compassionate, world-class service to help you receive the financial support you need. Call us today at (212) 268-3222 or complete our online case evaluation form to schedule a free consultation.

Legal Guidance Through Your Traumatic Experience

When you lose a limb, it is a traumatic event, no matter the cause. You lose a piece of yourself and may face disability from limited mobility, emotional issues, and the often debilitating symptoms of phantom limb syndrome. Recovery is often long as you relearn how to take care of yourself and previous activities. You likely face chronic pain as you recover from surgeries, suffer skin conditions and itching at the amputation site, and learn to use a prosthesis in physical therapy. The road after amputation is never easy, and it may be especially harrowing when it resulted due to no fault of your own.

Trauma comprises 45 percent of amputations, and 75 percent of upper extremity amputations result from injuries. If you suffer trauma due to another person’s negligence, you can receive compensation for medical bills, vocational rehabilitation, and other damages. But as insurance companies are adversarial in even the most egregious of cases, you need dedicated personal injury representation to secure a fair settlement.

Causes and Types of Amputation

There are two types of amputation and partial amputation: surgical amputation and traumatic amputation. Surgical amputation becomes necessary if removing a limb is essential to saving a patient’s life; usually, when the limb is so injured, there is no other treatment. Traumatic amputation refers to the sudden loss of a limb in an accident, usually due to malfunctioning machinery, explosions, or car accident impacts.

Common causes of catastrophic injury and traumatic amputation include:

• Vehicle accidents, including car, truck, and motorcycle accidents
• Bicycle and pedestrian accidents
• Workplace accidents, especially in higher-risk fields like construction or manufacturing
• Medical malpractice
• Defects in consumer products or work equipment

Non-injury causes of amputation of a limb include blood vessel disease (peripheral vascular disease or PVD), diabetes, blood clots, or osteomyelitis (bone infection). Even if your amputation resulted from these causes, you might have a malpractice claim if medical professionals prematurely amputate a limb, negligently perform amputation surgery, or amputate the wrong limb.

Phantom Limb Syndrome

An amputee suffers physical and mental effects. One of the more debilitating conditions is phantom limb syndrome which affects 90 to 98 percent of amputation patients. Also called phantom pain, it results in sensations around the former limb that include itching and pain. Some amputees also suffer “telescoping,” which is a feeling of the limb shrinking or retracting. The most common explanation for the phenomenon is the nervous system is still reorienting to the missing limb.

Sensations range from mild tickling to intense shooting, stabbing, or piercing pain. Some patients face mild symptoms that do not interfere with their daily routines. But for those suffering more severe symptoms often feel physically and psychologically confused.

Treatment may include biofeedback, muscle relaxation, meditation, massage, hypnosis, and medication, including analgesics, muscle relaxers, antidepressants, and antipsychotics. Alternative therapies like acupuncture also prove effective for some patients.

Insurance companies often do not cover many of these treatments, making recovery harder and often more expensive. It is another reason why collecting damages in personal injury cases is so important; you may require long-term treatment, and you need a way to afford it when insurance does not cover it.

Treatment for Amputees

Treatment after losing a body part is customized to the individual and often involved. You will address multiple recovery levels, including your physical and mental well-being, and learn new ways to navigate the world and enjoy a quality of life.

Standard post-amputation medical care includes:

• Wound healing and stump care
• Motor skill improvement to manage activities of daily living and independence.
• Physical therapy
• Vocational counseling
• Mental health care focusing on grief and body image
• Pain management
• Family education and support
• Adapting your home environment for support and safety

Physical therapy programs often include:

• Building muscles
• Improving endurance
• Fitting artificial limbs and learning how to use them
• Use of mobility devices

Brain injury, soft tissue sprains and strains, and fractures may also accompany amputation injuries. Your treatment plan also includes consideration of these severe injuries and adds to your expenses and time spent in medical facilities.

Medical treatments are often just the beginning of your recovery expenses. Depending on your amputation, you may need to remodel your home or modify your car so you can drive. If you need a wheelchair, those changes include ramps and widened doorway. Prosthetic limbs are also expensive, often over $50,000, and you change them throughout your lifetime.

Amputation Injury Case Damages

While money cannot regrow your limb, it can make a recovery easier and less financially burdensome. You will worry less about medical bills and lost wages and focus on your recovery plan.

Recoverable damages in an amputation case:

• Past and future medical expenses
• Disability accommodations and future expenses
• Lost wages and reduced earning capacity
• Emotional distress and trauma
• Expenses related to disability accommodations at home
• Punitive damages in the most egregious cases
• Care, treatment, and support of a loved one after they undergo amputation

Personal injury claims exist to compensate you for damages and new expenses. You want to make sure you receive a full and fair settlement, which is why hiring a personal injury lawyer is essential.

Schedule a Free Consultation with Our Amputation Injury Lawyers

Raphaelson & Levine know that amputation injuries are emotionally difficult and complex. You should never try to take on insurance companies alone while you make what is likely the most significant adjustment you will face in your lifetime. Your primary focus needs to be on your recovery from serious injury. Let a personal injury attorney handle your insurance claim and look out for your best interest.

Our amputation injury lawyers are ready to help you with your amputation injury claim. We offer a free consultation where we will review your case and offer a course of action. Our firm charges no fees unless you recover. Call us today at (212) 268-3222 or fill out our contact form to schedule your free case evaluation.