Maryland Loss of Leg Attorney
Losing a leg is as traumatic an injury as a person can suffer and still survive. The compensation a victim needs to treat an injury of this magnitude can be staggering.
Fortunately, an experienced Maryland loss of leg attorney can help determine what compensation is available in your case. Loss of leg injuries can occur in many different settings but are much more likely in the workplace or a car accident. While insurance will likely be available in these cases, the coverage can be far less than what is needed. Thus, filing a lawsuit will be the best way to maximize what you are owed for your injuries.
If you suffered the loss of a leg, our Maryland loss of leg attorneys can help you build the strongest case possible to recover the compensation you need. For a free case review, contact Rice, Murtha & Psoras today at (410) 694-7291.
Recovering Compensation for the Loss of a Leg in Maryland
Recovering compensation after losing a leg is a crucial step in the victim’s recovery process. The loss of a leg is an extremely traumatic injury and will almost certainly require a great deal of compensation to properly address since an injury this substantial might affect a victim for life. The path to compensation will largely depend on where and how your accident occurred.
Workplace Accident Claims
Many loss of leg injuries occur while the victim is on the job. Industries like construction, factory work, and agriculture require workers to use heavy and inherently dangerous machinery daily to do their jobs. A single second of carelessness can cause life-altering injuries in workplaces like this.
However, recovering compensation after a workplace injury can be complicated. In most cases, victims will need to file for compensation with their employer’s Workers’ Compensation insurance. This will provide scheduled benefits for a leg loss injury but will also limit a victim’s right to sue their employer. If your employer intentionally caused your injuries or did not offer Workers’ Compensation insurance, they could be held liable in court. To pursue damages against your employer, you will need to show that your injuries resulted from your employer’s failure to follow regulations or that they trained their employees poorly, leading to your accident.
Vehicle Accident Claims
Vehicle accidents are another common way victims can lose a leg. Recovering compensation after a vehicle accident is more straightforward than after one in the workplace. Because Maryland is an at-fault state, you can file for insurance against the driver’s insurance or file a lawsuit for damages. In either case, you must provide evidence proving that the other driver caused your injuries.
However, many drivers only carry the minimum insurance coverage, which will likely fall far short of what you need for an injury of this nature. If insurance seems unlikely to adequately compensate you, filing a lawsuit will allow you to pursue damages that insurance will not cover.
Other Personal Injury Claims
You can also file a lawsuit over filing an insurance claim if your leg was lost in another type of accident. For instance, if you lost your leg because your doctor failed to diagnose or treat a condition or it was removed during a negligent surgery, you could file a lawsuit against the negligent parties for medical malpractice.
If unsafe conditions caused your injuries while on another person’s property, the property or business owner could be held liable. Our Maryland loss of leg attorneys can review your case to determine how your injuries were caused and who to hold accountable for your damages in court.
Compensation You Could Recover in a Maryland Loss of Leg Lawsuit
Damages can be awarded in a Maryland lawsuit to compensate victims for the economic and non-economic losses they have suffered as a result of losing a leg. A lawsuit is typically the best way to ensure you do not miss out on the full range of compensation you could be entitled to. Our Maryland loss of leg attorneys can review your case to help determine what compensation you can pursue in court.
Economic Damages
Victims of a leg loss injury can claim the economic damages their injuries have caused. Calculating economic damages for an injury as severe as losing a leg can be more complex than just reviewing your current medical expenses. Victims are entitled to recover their current medical expenses and lost wages from time missed at work. Still, they may also claim economic damages for future medical costs for treatments and lost future wages they would have earned but for their injury. Fortunately, there is no cap in Maryland on the amount of economic damages you can be awarded in a lawsuit.
Non-Economic Damages
Leg loss injury victims are also entitled to recover non-economic damages for the pain and suffering their injuries have caused. Pain and suffering damages can be difficult to quantify as it is based on your experiences living with your injuries. However, losing a leg can understandably affect a victim’s mental health, and they should be compensated for the emotional damage their injuries have caused. The following are some of the non-economic damages that a person can claim for the loss of a leg in Maryland:
- Lost enjoyment of life
- Mourning the loss of your limb
- Phantom limb pain and discomfort
- Lost ability to participate in activities
- Fear of future injury
- Loss of confidence
- Loss of independence
- Loss of mobility
- Scarring and disfigurement damages
- Loss of spousal benefits
Unlike economic damages, there is, unfortunately, a cap on the amount of non-economic damages that a victim can be awarded in a Maryland lawsuit. Maryland caps non-economic damages at $920,000 as of 2022, but this number will likely increase yearly. Our Maryland loss of leg attorneys can help you determine the value of the non-economic damages you can pursue in your case.
Punitive Damages
Punitive damages differ from the pecuniary ones listed above as they are awarded in a lawsuit not to compensate the victim but to punish the defendant. To claim punitive damages in your lawsuit, you will need to show that the behavior that caused your injuries was egregious in some way. Considering the severity of a loss of leg injury, this might not be difficult to show. Like economic damages, Maryland has no cap on the amount of punitive damages a victim can be awarded.
Our Maryland Loss of Leg Attorneys Can Help
If you recently lost a leg in an accident, our Maryland loss of leg attorneys can help you get justice for your extensive injuries. Contact Rice, Murtha & Psoras today at (410) 694-7291 for a free case assessment.
