Amputation Injury Claims

The BasicsWhat Is an Amputation Injury Claim?

An amputation injury claim is a personal injury case brought when a person loses a limb — or has a limb so severely damaged that it must be surgically removed — because of another party's carelessness or a dangerous condition. These claims fall into two broad categories:

• Traumatic amputation, where the limb is severed at the scene of the accident, such as in a machinery accident or a high-speed collision.
• Surgical amputation, where doctors must remove a limb days or weeks later because the damage, infection, or loss of blood flow leaves no other option.

Both types carry the same devastating consequences: permanent disability, enormous medical expense, and a lifetime of adjustment. The law treats a surgically required amputation as seriously as one that happens instantly — what matters is that the injury traces back to someone else's negligence.

Common CausesWhat Leads to an Amputation Injury

Amputation claims in Pierce County commonly arise from:

• Motor vehicle and motorcycle accidents, where crushing forces and severe fractures can cost a rider a limb.
• Truck and commercial vehicle wrecks, where the size and weight of the vehicles produce catastrophic injuries.
• Workplace and industrial accidents, particularly those involving heavy machinery, presses, saws, and conveyor systems.
• Construction site accidents, including equipment failures and falls.
• Defective products and machinery that lack proper guards or safety mechanisms.
• Medical negligence, where a delayed diagnosis of infection or vascular injury leads to a preventable amputation.

Identifying every party whose negligence contributed to the injury is one of the most important — and most difficult — parts of these cases. A single amputation claim may involve a driver and their employer, a machine manufacturer, a property owner, or a maintenance contractor. We investigate each potential source of liability so that no responsible party is left out.

The Full CostThe True Cost of Losing a Limb

The financial impact of an amputation reaches far beyond the initial hospital stay. When we build a claim, we account for the full, lifelong picture, which often includes:

• Emergency treatment, surgery, and hospitalization
• Prosthetic limbs, which require replacement and adjustment over a lifetime
• Physical therapy and rehabilitation
• Home and vehicle modifications for accessibility
• Lost wages and reduced earning capacity, especially where the injury ends a career
• Ongoing pain management and future medical care
• Physical pain, emotional trauma, and loss of enjoyment of life

A modern prosthetic and its lifetime of maintenance alone can represent a substantial cost, and insurance companies routinely undervalue what long-term care actually requires. We work with medical and vocational experts to document the true, future-facing cost of the injury rather than accepting an insurer's early, low estimate.

Washington LawWashington Law and Your Claim

Two features of Washington law are especially important in amputation cases.

This page provides general information about Washington law and is not legal advice. Deadlines and rules vary with the facts of each case; contact us to discuss your specific situation.

Why It MattersWhy Amputation Claims Need an Experienced Attorney

Insurance companies understand that amputation cases carry high potential value, and they often respond by disputing liability, questioning the necessity of treatment, or pressuring injured people toward a quick settlement before the long-term costs are clear. Accepting an early offer can leave a family without the resources they will need years down the road, once the settlement is spent and the medical needs continue.

Because these injuries are permanent, the stakes of getting the claim right the first time are enormous — there is no going back to ask for more after a case is resolved. We take the time to understand how the injury has changed your daily life and your future, and we prepare every case as though it may go to trial. That preparation is often what moves an insurer toward a fair resolution.

Greene & Lloyd is based in the Puyallup area and represents clients throughout Pierce County. Unlike high-volume firms that treat clients as case numbers, we provide personalized, contingency-fee representation — you pay no attorney fee unless we recover compensation for you. From the first free consultation through resolution, you work directly with attorneys Rob Lloyd and Tim Greene, not a rotating cast of case handlers.