How Much Compensation For Losing A Leg Could I Claim?

Has your leg become amputated due to the negligent conduct of another? If so, you may be eligible to make a loss of leg compensation claim. This guide will explain how much compensation you may be entitled to for losing a leg and how you may be able to claim it.

Leg amputations are life-changing injuries. Not only can they cause physical pain and psychological distress, but they can also limit your ability to work and affect your daily life. This guide will share the different forms of compensation you could be able to receive and when you may have a valid personal injury claim.

Additionally, we will share examples of different types of accidents that could lead to you losing a leg and the types of evidence that could support you when making a claim. Finally, we end this guide by sharing how a solicitor on our panel could help you claim on a No Win No, Fee basis.

To find out more about claiming compensation for a lost leg, contact our advisors today:

A close up of an amputated leg stump wrapped in bandages.

Browse Our Guide

  1. How Much Compensation For Losing A Leg?
  2. What Is A Leg Amputation Claim?
  3. What Evidence Can Help Me Claim For Losing A Leg?
  4. How Long Do I Have To Claim Amputation Compensation?
  5. Claim For Amputation Injuries Using A No Win No Fee Solicitor
  6. More Resources About Personal Injury Claims

How Much Compensation For Losing A Leg?

A question you may have is ‘How much compensation for losing a leg could I receive?’.

If your leg has become amputated due to the negligent conduct of another, you may be eligible to claim compensation. This could consist of two parts. The first is known as general damages, which compensates you for any physical and psychological suffering caused by the amputation.

Those responsible for calculating your compensation may refer to the Judicial College Guidelines (JCG). This guide has compensation guidelines for different injuries, including amputations.

In the table below we have listed the compensation guidelines pertaining to leg amputations. Please note, however, that the first entry does not come from the JCG.

InjuryCompensationExplanation
Multiple Severe Injuries with Special DamagesUp to £500,000+Compensation for suffering multiple injuries that are severe as well as for any subsequent financial losses, such as medical expenses.
Loss of Both Legs£293,850 to £344,150Loss of both legs above the knee or one leg has been lost above the knee and the other below the knee.
Below-Knee Amputation of Both Legs£245,900 to £329,620An award at the top end of the bracket is appropriate where both legs are amputated below the knee.
Above-Knee Amputation of One Leg£127,930 to £167,760The award depends on factors such as the level of amputation, the severity of phantom pain, pain or other problems with a stump.
Below-Knee Amputation of One Leg£119,570 to £162,290Towards the top would include traumatic amputation in an accident, where the person remains conscious or cases where saving the leg was attempted but resulted in unsuccessful operations so amputation occurred years later.

Can I Claim For The Long Term Impact Of An Amputation Injury?

You may also be awarded special damages in your compensation claim for your leg amputation. Special damages compensate you for any financial losses you incurred following the amputation. Here are some examples of special damages:

  • Loss of income due to needing to take time off work.
  • Medical expenses.
  • Travel costs.
  • Home adjustment costs e.g. ramps, stairlift, etc.
  • The cost of special equipment e.g. walking frame, prosthetic leg, etc.

To be awarded special damages, you must provide evidence of the losses you incurred. Some examples include:

  • Pay slips.
  • Bank statements.
  • Invoices.
  • Receipts.

To find out if you are eligible to claim compensation, continue reading this guide. You can also contact our advisors for a free valuation of how much compensation for losing a leg you could potentially claim.

A man walking down the street with a prosthetic leg.

What Is A Leg Amputation Claim?

Now that we have discussed how much compensation for losing a leg you could potentially claim, you need to know when you have an eligible case.

If your leg became amputated due to the actions of another, you may be eligible to issue a compensation claim. Here is the specific eligibility criteria your case must meet:

  • A third party must have owed you a duty of care.
  • The third party must have breached this duty of care.
  • This must have resulted in your leg amputation.

There are a number of scenarios where you may be owed a duty of care. Here are some examples of when breaching this duty may result in the amputation of your leg.

Road Traffic Accidents

All road users have a duty of care to act responsibly while using the roads to minimise the risk of injuries and damage. To ensure this, they must also adhere to the Road Traffic Act 1988 and the Highway Code.

Therefore, if a road user were to breach this duty, causing your leg to become amputated, you may be eligible to make a road traffic accident claim. For example:

  • You may be safely walking across a zebra crossing. However, a driver negligently overtakes a vehicle and speeds through the crossing, running you over. This may result in you sustaining severe leg injuries that later requires surgical amputation of the leg.

Accidents in a Public Place

A person in control of a public place has a duty to take all steps necessary to ensure the public’s reasonable safety under the Occupiers’ Liability Act 1957.

Therefore, if a person in control of a public space were to breach this duty, resulting in your leg amputation, you may be eligible to make a public liability claim. For example:

  • You may be standing under a shop sign that was not properly secured. This may fall and land on your leg, causing severe leg and ankle crush injuries. It may be decided that your leg is not salvageable and needs to be surgically removed.

Accidents At Work

All employers have a duty of care to take reasonable steps to ensure the health and safety of their employees under the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974.

Therefore, if an employer were to breach this duty, causing your leg amputation, you may be eligible to make an injury at work claim. For example:

  • You may work on a building site. However, an employer failed to maintain an excavator regularly. This may cause it to malfunction and tip over, causing the digger to fall on your leg causing it to become amputated.

To find out more about leg amputation claims, contact our advisors today.

Someone wrapping a bandage around an amputated leg stump

What Evidence Can Help Me Claim For Losing A Leg?

You may be required to provide evidence of how the third parties negligent conduct resulted in your leg amputation. Some examples of evidence include:

  • Witness contact information, so a statement can be collected form them later on.
  • Medical records detailing your amputation.
  • Take photographs of the injury or thing that caused it.
  • Obtain a copy of the accident from the accident report book.
  • Police reports, if applicable.
  • CCTV or dashcam footage of the accident.

If you need help obtaining evidence, a solicitor from our panel may be able to help you. COntact our advisors today. They can also answer any questions you may have, such as ‘How much compensation for losing a leg could I receive?’.

How Long Do I Have To Claim Amputation Compensation? 

If you want to make a loss of leg compensation claim, you must do so within a specific time frame. This is in accordance with the Limitation Act 1980. Under this Act, all personal injury claims must be started within 3 years from the date of the accident taking place.

However, if a child had their leg amputated due to negligent conduct, the three-year time limit will begin once they turn the age of eighteen. However, if you want to issue a child’s leg amputation claim before they reach eighteen, you may do so if you act as a litigation friend.

You may also act as a litigation friend if an injured person lacks the mental capacity to issue the claim themselves. However, if they regain mental capacity, the three-year time limit will begin on this date of recovery.

To find out if you are still eligible to make a claim or if you want more information on the role of litigation friends, contact our advisors today.

Claim For Amputation Injuries Using A No Win No Fee Solicitor

In addition to wondering, ‘How much compensation for losing a leg could I claim?’, you may also be asking, ‘Do I need to work with a solicitor?’.

Although you do not have to work with a solicitor, going so can come with various advantages. For example, they could help you with:

  • Gathering evidence.
  • Communicating with the defendant.
  • Negotiating your compensation.

Our panel of solicitors work on a No Win No Fee basis and can provide services under a Conditional Fee Agreement (CFA). Here are some benefits to this:

  • You pay no upfront or ongoing service costs.
  • You will not pay them for their work if the claim fails.
  • Should the claim be a success, you will pay your solicitor a success fee.
  • You are only required to pay a success fee for your solicitor’s work if your case is successful. This is a legally capped figure that will be taken from your compensation as a small percentage.

To see if you could work with a solicitor on our panel for your leg amputation claim, you can contact our advisors:

Someone asking a solicitor 'How much compensation for losing a leg could I claim?'

More Resources About Personal Injury Claims

More of our personal injury claims guides:

References:

Contact our advisors if you are still wondering, ‘How much compensation for losing a leg could I claim?’.