Toronto Amputation Lawyer

An amputation caused by an accident can be utterly devastating and can have profound effects on the victim and his or her family. Life may never be the same as it once was. Medical bills pile up. There are also significant financial costs associated with amputation injuries. If you or your loved one became an amputee due to an otherwise preventable injury or in a car or motor vehicle accident, you may be entitled to a significant amount of compensation, with the help of a Toronto amputation lawyer. To discuss your case and the steps you should take, consult with a Toronto personal injury lawyer today.

Seeking Recovery

Often, an amputee may not realize that there may be other forms of compensation available to them. If someone is hurt in a motor vehicle accident, there are significant benefits provided for under the Statutory Accident Benefits system. You can obtain, among other things, up to $1,000,000 for medical and rehabilitation treatment, $1,000,000 for attendant care, up to $100 for housekeeping and home maintenance, and even up to $400 per week for income replacement benefits. In addition, your amputation lawyer in Toronto may have a claim against the at-fault party who caused the accident for your pain and suffering, past and future income loss and even future medical treatment which will be required for the remainder of your life over and above what you will receive under the Statutory Accident Benefits system.

In other circumstances, for instance, in a trip and/or slip and fall accident, you may have a claim against the property owner or occupier who caused you to fall or injure yourself. Although there are no Statutory Accident Benefits in most trip and/or slip and fall accident claims, you are still entitled to compensation for pain and suffering, past and future income loss, and even future medical treatment which will be required for the remainder of your life. These amounts can be significant.

Potential Damages

One of the most concerning aspects associated with any amputation, are significant financial, physical and emotional costs. Medical care costs, not covered by the Ontario Health Insurance Plan, typically start before the amputation is performed but they do not usually stop after the procedure. Ongoing medical care costs are common with amputations. Often medical care costs associated with an amputation may last for the duration of an amputee’s life. Furthermore, rehabilitation, attendant care, occupational therapy, home modifications, and/or housekeeping and home maintenance may also be required.

In many cases, an amputee will require a prosthetic in order to compensate for the loss. Prosthetics can cost from $5,000 to over $100,000 depending on the circumstances of the amputee’s case. Insurance and health care plans often times do not cover the entire costs associated with a prosthetic and of course, there are many different forms of prosthetics, some of which are covered and others not. Moreover, prosthetics are typically not a one-time occurrence. On the contrary, is it very common for an amputee to need to replace his or her prosthetic multiple times over a lifetime.

Other Damages

In addition to the medical care costs, amputees are often times faced with challenges in the workplace. Optimally, the amputation will have no affect on a worker’s ability to do their job. However, in many cases an amputee may not be able to perform the required tasks for their job due to their amputation and will require worksite accommodation and modification. In this situation, the best-case scenario is that an employer may choose to reassign the person who has had an amputation to a new job. This is another cost to amputees because this may have an impact of reducing the likelihood of advancement within their employer’s company and also may have a negative impact on their overall pay. In the worst-case scenario, a return to work may not be possible which would, unfortunately, lead to the elimination of the worker’s pay altogether.

Other financial costs that can be overlooked with amputees is the costs that are necessary to conduct their daily lives in an ordinary fashion. For example, someone who has had an amputation of one, or both, of their legs may need to use a wheelchair for part, or all, of the day. When this occurs, the amputee will need to make additions or changes to their residence in order to accommodate their wheelchair. Home modification, which can include ramps, wider halls, and lower sinks are just a few accommodations that may be necessary and can be taken into account with the help of a Toronto amputation lawyer.