Philadelphia Amputation Injury Lawyer

The loss of one or more parts of the body in an accident is among the most devastating types of personal injury you can sustain. No matter what body part has been amputated, you will face extensive medical bills, long-term rehabilitation, and untold amounts of personal pain and suffering. To make things more complicated, you may no longer be able to perform your job. You may also spend the rest of your life relying on medical devices for mobility.

Fortunately, Wapner Newman’s Philadelphia limb loss attorneys are here to help. Compassionate, tenacious, and experienced, we will thoroughly analyze your case and maximize the compensation you deserve for your amputation injuries.

CONTACT US TODAY AT (215) 569-0900 FOR A FREE CONSULTATION.

Why Choose Us

Wapner Newman is one of the oldest continuously operating medical malpractice and personal injury firms in the Greater Philadelphia Area. Since 1978, we have secured top results throughout Pennsylvania and New Jersey, including $7.25 million for a couple who were severely injured in an elevator accident resulting in partial amputation and severe deformity.

Our main attorney is Robert S. Miller. A partner at Wapner Newman, Mr. Miller was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He obtained his Bachelor’s degree from the Pennsylvania State University and received his Juris Doctor from Widener University School of Law in 1992.

Mr. Miller is a member of the Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, and New Jersey Bar Associations, as well as the Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and American Trial Lawyers Associations. He is admitted to practice in the following:

  • Pennsylvania (1992)
  • New Jersey (1992)
  • United States District Court, Eastern District of Pennsylvania (1994)
  • District of New Jersey (1994)
  • United States Court of Appeals, Third Circuit.

Mr. Miller’s main area of practice is personal injury, including construction site accidents, motor vehicle accident litigation, trips and falls, premises liability, and medical malpractice. Due to his eye for detail and thorough litigation preparation, he has enjoyed tremendous success protecting his clients and their interests. He has been recognized in 2020 Best Lawyers in America, Personal Injury Litigation – Plaintiffs, Philadelphia, PA, and is a 2022 Pennsylvania Super Lawyer.

Mr. Miller is devoted to legal education and awareness. He has served as Chairperson of the Philadelphia Bar Association Arbitration Committee, lectured to colleagues on multiple legal topics, and lectured extensively for numerous schools and organizations on personal injury litigation.

How We Can Help

Wapner Newman is dedicated to helping injured people and their families throughout Pennsylvania and New Jersey. To provide you with the best service possible, we do the following:

  • Assign each new case to the best principal partner for the job. If you’re filing an amputation lawsuit, we will assign you to a principal partner who has extensive experience in amputation lawsuits. All of our amputation injury attorneys have a highly-trained legal team to support clients’ cases. Our client-first approach ensures that no stone is left unturned when we take on your case.
  • Thoroughly analyze your case. Once we’ve assigned you to a principal partner and legal team, our partner and their team will thoroughly investigate your case. They will document every detail and consult with you to pinpoint the best course of action. They will also consult highly credentialed expert witnesses, conduct detailed research of case law and regulations, and explain legal concepts to you.
  • Prepare and file paperwork on your behalf. Pennsylvania and New Jersey have deadlines known as “statutes of limitations” for filing personal injury claims for amputation injuries. If you miss this deadline, courts may bar you from pursuing your claim. We can help you prepare and file paperwork on and ahead of deadlines.
  • Communicate and negotiate with the opposing side(s). We will handle all communication with the opposing side’s lawyers and insurance providers and negotiate for maximum compensation.
  • Take your case to trial. We can take your case to court if the opposing side cannot agree to a fair settlement.

Personal Injury Client Testimonial

Here’s what a client said about his experiences with our Philadelphia amputation injury lawyers:

AFTER MY CAR ACCIDENT…

“I didn’t know how my medical bills or my property damage would be paid. Fortunately, I hired Wapner & Newman to represent me. They took care of everything so that all I had to do was get the medical treatment I needed. All of my claims were settled quickly and fairly. I even received compensation for my pain and suffering.”– Robert R

Possible Causes of Amputations in Philadelphia

Amputations in Philadelphia typically arise from the following:

Traffic Accidents

Injuries that necessitate the amputation of a limb often occur as a result of traffic accidents. A 2021 annual report from the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation showed that Philadelphia had the highest number of traffic-related fatalities in Pennsylvania. These include:

The most common reasons for traffic accidents are:

  • Driving while impaired by drugs or alcohol
  • Failing to obey speed limits
  • Driving while distracted.

Medical Negligence

Medical malpractice or negligence or errors can also cause amputations. This can happen when:

  • A medical professional misdiagnoses a condition, leading to an unnecessary amputation.
  • A healthcare provider prescribes the wrong medication dosage, causing bodily trauma that results in amputation.
  • A physician fails to recognize a postoperative blood clot, leading to bodily trauma resulting in amputation.
  • Nursing home physicians and caretakers fail to treat sepsis or bedsores in time, leading to amputation.

Defective Products

Amputation accidents are often caused by defective products that are negligently or poorly manufactured, such as:

  • Surgical or medical devices
  • Consumer products like tools
  • Automobile parts, such as tires and airbags
  • Industrial, farming, or machinery equipment.

Complications of Amputation Injuries in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

The partial or full loss of a limb is traumatic and can have life-changing physical consequences, including:

  • Excessive bleeding, infection, and shock right after amputation
  • Limited or non-existent dexterity, mobility, and agility in the long term
  • Back pain and balance problems
  • Possibility of rehospitalization and further surgery
  • Phantom pain, including constant tingling and tingling pain in the amputated limb.

Amputation also causes severe emotional complications. Research has shown that 32 to 84 percent of traumatic accident amputees face mental health issues, including:

  • Depression (10.4 to 63 percent)
  • Phantom limb phenomenon (14 to 92 percent)
  • Post-traumatic stress disorder (3.3 to 56.3 percent).

Amputation can bring unexpected financial stress. The medical, therapy, and prosthesis expenses can be prohibitively expensive. For instance, a prosthetic hand can cost up to $2,000 per finger, and more complex limbs may cost over $50,000.

If your need for amputation was due to another’s negligent act, you have a right to seek compensation for related medical expenses and other costs. The aggressive Philadelphia wrongful amputation lawyers at Wapner Newman are prepared to assist you in holding the responsible party accountable and recovering maximum financial compensation.

Compensation in Amputation Injury Claims in Pennsylvania

Damages in amputation injury lawsuits can include money for economic and non-economic losses and punitive damages.

Economic Losses

Economic losses, also known as general damages, are objectively verifiable financial losses that you’ve suffered as a result of your amputation. These include:

  • Related medical expenses
  • Prosthetic expenses
  • Rehabilitation expenses
  • Lost wages
  • Home modifications and remodeling.

Non-Economic Losses

On the other hand, non-economic losses are non-financial and subjective. Common examples include:

  • Impacted quality of life
  • Pain and suffering, including emotional distress
  • Loss of enjoyment of activities, including the loss of the ability to engage in activities you had previously enjoyed
  • Loss of consortium, which is the loss of intimacy with a partner or spouse.

Punitive Damages

Courts may award punitive damages to penalize the negligent party for malicious or grossly negligent actions. Punitive damages are not available in most amputation injury cases; juries typically only award them if they believe economic and non-economic damages are inadequate for the injuries you’ve suffered and the defendant’s conduct was egregious.

For instance, if your arm was amputated as a result of severe injuries when another driver struck your vehicle, you would probably only be entitled to economic and non-economic damages. But, if you had your legs amputated and lost your ability to earn a living after a drunk driver hit your car in a head-on collision, the jury may consider ordering the drunk driver to pay punitive damages on top of economic and non-economic damages. The purpose of punitive damages is to punish the responsible driver and deter others from engaging in similar conduct.

If you or a loved one has suffered from an accident resulting in amputation in Philadelphia or Allentown, Pennsylvania, or in New Jersey, please contact Wapner Newman to schedule your free case consultation today with one of our Philadelphia amputation attorneys.

We know how to deal with insurance companies and how to prove liability in personal injury claims. Our track record demonstrates that we will not back down or become intimidated by insurance company tactics. Contact us today at (215) 569-0900.

Wapner Newman Can Fight For Your Rights

Amputation injuries can occur in nearly any type of accident, but are most common in construction and industrial accidents. In many cases, amputation will require home modifications and special care and will place a permanent limitation on physical abilities. These things, along with medical expenses, lost wages, and pain and suffering must be taken into account when seeking compensation.

The Philadelphia amputation lawyers at our firm know how devastating these injuries can be for both individuals and entire families. We have what it takes to hold the party responsible for your injuries accountable and to help you get the full compensation you are due.

To schedule a free consultation with one of our Philadelphia amputation injury attorneys, please contact us today. We maintain offices in Allentown, Philadelphia, and West Conshohocken, Pennsylvania, and Marlton, New Jersey. We can also come to you if your injury makes travel difficult.

Get in touch with a seasoned Philadelphia amputation injury lawyer at (215) 569-0900.