Successful settlement for partial foot amputee

Our client lost part of his left forefoot in an accident at work. The injury left him with a disfigured foot and a need for specialised, bespoke orthotics. It also placed additional pressure on his right knee, which had previously been significantly injured in an unrelated sporting accident.

The effects extended beyond the physical injury. Our client was married with two young children, and the partial amputation created aesthetic challenges for him. Through the personal injury claim, one of his children received play therapy, which helped to create a more harmonious home life.

Our specialists needed to understand what support our client would require following the amputation, both immediately and for the rest of his life.

Through the claim, he attended Dorset Orthopaedics’ Southern Clinic for an expert assessment of his orthotic and prosthetic needs. Recommendations included bespoke footwear with an insole and toe filler, together with a silicone partial-foot prosthesis for recreational use.

The prosthesis was recommended not only for its practical benefits. It was also intended to help our client feel less anxious and self-conscious about the appearance of his injured foot and restore some of his quality of life.

Our client’s future employment was an important part of the claim. His work required him to wear protective steel-capped boots, which meant the comfort and sizing of his footwear had to be carefully considered.

There were also complex questions about his future loss of earnings. The partial foot amputation placed additional pressure on his right knee, but that knee had already been significantly injured in an unrelated sporting accident. The previous injury would have affected his ability to carry out manual work later in life in any event.

This meant the legal team needed to establish the consequences of the workplace injury while taking account of the effect the earlier knee injury may have had on his future working ability.

Our experts addressed the complex questions around the cause and impact of our client’s injuries with specialist evidence.

Medical evidence was obtained in rehabilitation medicine and orthopaedics, covering both his foot and knee. Expert evidence was also obtained to assess his care requirements.

This evidence helped the legal team understand the different factors affecting our client and assess the support he would need following his partial foot amputation.

The assessment by Dorset Orthopaedics was particularly important when considering our client’s future.

Its recommendations were intended to ensure he could remain supported and comfortable in his footwear for the rest of his life. They also addressed his particular need to wear steel-capped protective boots for work.

The recommended silicone prosthesis provided another form of long-term support. As well as being suitable for recreational use, it was intended to address some of the anxiety and self-consciousness our client experienced because of the appearance of his foot.

The claim concluded with a six-figure settlement following a joint settlement meeting held by video conference.

The outcome meant our client could continue to meet the cost of private orthotics and a silicone prosthesis for the rest of his life. It also supported his ability to remain in meaningful employment.

For our client, the settlement therefore addressed practical needs arising from his amputation, including specialist footwear and prosthetic support that would continue well beyond the conclusion of his claim.