How Much Compensation Will I Get for an Amputation in a South Carolina Personal Injury Lawsuit?
Amputations can change your life forever. After this life change, you might experience challenges in your personal and professional life. These issues can reduce your quality of life and your wealth in various ways, and seeking compensation is only logical. But how much could you get if you file a personal injury lawsuit in South Carolina for your amputation?
Compensation Depends on the Severity of Your Amputation
Not all amputations are identical. Some may be more severe than others, and some may affect the lives of victims in different ways. For example, losing a pinky finger is a legitimate type of amputation. The same logic applies to losing your little toe. However, this amputation is less likely to affect your life when compared to other types of amputations. Perhaps most likely, your career may not be affected by the loss of a pinky finger or little toe.
That being said, this all depends on the nature of your work. If you are a professional athlete, for example, the loss of your little toe might reduce your sprint speed and general maneuverability on the field. If you are an artist or you perform intricate work with your hands, you might also depend on your pinky finger.
The loss of a more important appendage is more likely to cause life challenges. Therefore, it is more likely to cause economic losses and psychological issues. For example, the loss of your index finger or thumb might severely impact your work, potentially even leading to job loss. In the same way, the loss of your big toe might prevent you from walking or running normally.
More severe amputations are more likely to cause major life changes. The obvious examples include the loss of your leg, foot, hand, or arm. These injuries are likely to cause job loss, future wage loss, excessive medical bills, and psychological challenges.
Amputations Can Lead to Economic and Non-Economic Damages
Amputations may lead to both “economic” and “non-economic” damages in South Carolina. Economic damages are relatively easy to understand, and they represent your financial losses. These losses can be caused by medical bills and wage losses. Non-economic damages are a bit more complex, and they represent your emotional or psychological losses. Examples include depression, humiliation, anxiety, loss of enjoyment of life, disfigurement, and loss of consortium.
Speak with an experienced injury lawyer to determine which non-economic damages apply to your specific case. If your relationship has ended as a result of your amputation, you might claim loss of consortium. If the accident made certain pastimes or hobbies impossible, you might claim loss of enjoyment of life. Disfigurement is self-explanatory, and it is common in amputation cases.
Can a Lawyer Help With My Amputation Lawsuit in South Carolina?
If you are recovering from an amputation and you believe someone else was to blame for your accident, you may be eligible to file a personal injury lawsuit in South Carolina. This type of lawsuit could provide you with considerable compensation for both economic and non-economic damages. To explore your legal options in more detail, consider speaking with a Charleston personal injury lawyer at Mickelsen & Dalton, LLC today.
Source:
hopkinsmedicine.org/health/treatment-tests-and-therapies/amputation
