Carlos Land, Senior Associate in our Serious Injuries Team, discusses the Limb Loss and Limb Difference Awareness Month.
More than just compensation
In pursuing claims involving amputations, one issue that can often be overlooked is that of support and guidance provided by several charities who campaign for individuals who have suffered limb loss.
April is Limb Loss and Limb Difference Awareness Month. Several charities are highlighting the work that they do and the people they support, the idea being to highlight the impact of living with limb loss and limb difference in individuals and families and their support networks.
Hugh James works closely with a number of charities, including the Limbless Association. The Limbless Association are a national charity championing lives beyond limb loss. This year they are celebrating their 40th birthday and now have over 2,500 members. Their fundamental principle is that no amputee need cope alone. To achieve this, they support amputees and work with several professionals advising, informing, reporting and connecting to empower all those affected by limb loss to lead independent and fulfilled lives.
At Hugh James, when we are instructed by an individual who has sustained a trauma related loss of limb, (be it an accident at work, such as a fall from height or involving heavy machinery or a road traffic collision as a car driver, pedestrian, motorcyclist, or cyclist), we strongly believe in a holistic approach.
Upon commencing their claim, we will signpost them to the Limbless Association so that they may set up a volunteer visit providing free peer support where they offer practical advice and information from an experienced volunteer, who are amputees themselves, and can help to answer any questions that they have in relation to limb loss.
Of the clients that Hugh James have referred to the Limbless Association, they have found it a positive experience by simply talking with someone who has gone through the same or similar scenario and have themselves lived experience as an amputee.
As lawyers, we can help with advancing the claim and ensuring all the correct professionals are put in place but often, a client who has suffered a traumatic injury that has resulted in the loss of a limb simply wants to discuss what they are going through with someone who has been there before them. In addition, the Limbless Association volunteer visitors also offer a support service for pre-amputees where elective surgery is an option, a particularly difficult decision for anyone to make when the clinical advice is amputation as opposed to attempting to salvage the limb.
In continuing with that holistic approach, our main role is to secure compensation for our client when they have sustained a loss of limb through no fault of their own and provide them with the quality of life that they had before their loss. In addition to gathering the necessary evidence at the commencement of a claim, we will also engage with the defendant to secure an interim payment and obtain early access to rehabilitation through the Serious Injury Guide. Our friendly specialist team also provides some pro bono support to individuals if they don’t have a personal injury claim.
The Serious Injury Team at Hugh James specialise in supporting injured people who have experienced an amputation after a traumatic incident such as an incident at work or road traffic collision. New enquiries can be submitted via our website or by calling the Serious Injuries Department on 033 3016 2222