Syme’s amputation claims

A Syme's amputation compensation claim is a legal claim you can make if you underwent the procedure after an accident that was someone else's fault.

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Reviewed by

Caroline Morris

Managing Director of Serious Injury

Additional content

Charlotte Mackulin

Partner and Solicitor

Last Updated

22nd July 2026

Can I make a Syme's amputation claim?

If someone else’s negligence caused an injury that led to a Syme’s amputation, you may be able to claim compensation.

Common accidents that can result in a Syme’s amputation claim include: severe foot/ankle crush injuries; traumatic loss of blood supply; extensive soft tissue damage; multiple fractures around the ankle; serious infection after an injury.

A Syme’s amputation can also be the result of negligent medical care, like poorly managed diabetes or a surgical error.

Fletchers can represent Syme’s amputation clients whose need for surgery arose from an accident or poor medical care.

You may still have a claim if you were partly responsible for the events that led to your amputation, but time limits apply. Contact us for a free initial assessment.

Example of a Syme's amputation claim

A motorcyclist riding across a junction is hit by a car when it suddenly turns across their path. The collision crushes the motorcyclist’s foot and ankle, causing severe damage to the bone and soft tissue. Despite surgeons operating several times to save her foot, the injury is too serious to repair. In the end, doctors decide a Syme’s amputation is necessary. If, by his actions, the car driver was negligent or reckless, this could mean the motorcyclist has a strong claim.

Common Syme's amputation claims we support

Expertise you can trust

9/10 clients would recommend us
Dedicated rehabilitation and wellbeing team
Securing interim payments to ensure early access to support

What compensation can help with

Person with a prosthetic lower leg walking outdoors

Paying for your care and protecting your earnings

There are two types of compensation that make up a Syme’s amputation claim – general and special damages.

General damages are for the pain, suffering and the way the injury affects your life. On top of general damages are special damages. They help to cover the cost of your care, ongoing treatment, lost income, and replacement Syme’s amputation prostheses.

Be sure to keep receipts and records of anything you have to pay for because of the injury. Your solicitor claims these back as part of your settlement so you are not left out of pocket.

A successful amputation claim may help fund:

Prosthetics and specialist limb fitting, including advanced prostheses
Rehabilitation, physiotherapy and occupational therapy
Psychological support and counselling
Home adaptations and specialist mobility equipment
Loss of earnings, both current and future losses
Ongoing care and support needs
Travel and transport costs related to your recovery

Understanding the potential value

Each Syme’s amputation claim compensation award is different. For example, in a recent case, we secured £625,000 for a motorcyclist who collided with a car after its driver lost control. Although this involved an amputation higher up the leg, it shows how compensation can cover the long-term effects of losing part of a limb.

Understanding interim payments

Sometimes, compensation claims involving serious injuries can take a year or more to settle. We may need to wait for doctors to provide further evidence about your injuries and long-term needs. A claim can also take longer if the other party disputes responsibility for what happened. In some cases, we can ask for an interim payment from the other party, especially if they do admit liability. For a serious injury like a Syme’s amputation, this can fund prosthetics, rehabilitation, home adaptations or time off work.

Specialist Syme's amputation claim solicitors

Fletchers has represented clients with life-changing foot and limb injuries since 1987. Handling your case will be experienced serious injury solicitors like:

Why choose Fletchers for your Syme's amputation claim

Fletchers' expertise in amputation claims grew out of our long history in motorcycle accident cases. Over four decades, we have recovered millions of pounds for people with life-changing injuries, including the loss of a foot or limb.

Expertise you can rely on

Lexcel accredited by the Law Society
Solicitors accredited by the Association of Personal Injury Lawyers (APIL)
Ranked by Chambers and the Legal 500
Recognised with national personal injury awards
A trusted partner of the Spinal Injuries Association
Every Syme’s amputation claim runs on a ‘No Win, No Fee’ basis

You’re not alone

We understand what you’re going through.

The amputation of a foot is a major life event. Losing a foot changes the way you stand, walk, run, and get through an ordinary day.

Some of the biggest challenges come from returning to work, especially if you can no longer do the same job. Socialising and getting out can also be harder while you adjust. You may feel a sense of loss and struggle to rely on others, particularly if you were more independent before.

You may not feel that now is the right time to pursue compensation. You worry that, somehow, it will make the process of returning to normality more complicated. Fletchers Solicitors manages the whole process from beginning to end. This means you have the time and space to concentrate on your rehabilitation and daily life.

Many of our clients felt the same way as you might do now. But after they got their compensation, they tell us that receiving the money is a big part of moving forward. It removes the financial worry, but more important is the feeling of justice, recognition and fair treatment.

Contact us for a free initial assessment. Your assessment is free, and there’s no obligation to proceed with us if we think you have a case.

Happy amputee doing exercises for upper body strength on exercise machine at gym.

Rehabilitation support

We go beyond legal advice to support you, not just your case, making sure the right care and practical help are in place throughout the compensation claim process.

A message from our Rehabilitation and Wellbeing Team

We work alongside Fletchers Solicitors’ legal experts – listening carefully to your needs, helping you understand what support is available and creating a personalised recovery plan.

Led by rehabilitation manager Julie Chorlton, we bring together expertise across healthcare, therapy and welfare support, and can help arrange access to treatment and financial support. We also work with accredited mental health professionals, giving you and your family access to counselling quickly.

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FAQs about Syme's amputation claims

What is a Syme's amputation?

A Syme’s amputation is the removal of your foot through the ankle joint while keeping the lower leg and the heel pad. Because surgeons preserve your heel pad, many patients can still bear weight on the end of their limb. Surgeons carry out Syme’s procedures when they believe they can’t save a foot following a serious trauma or infection.

Can I claim for a Syme's amputation?

You can claim compensation for a Syme’s amputation if someone else’s negligence caused the accident that led to it. That is often an employer, a driver or an occupier.

For Syme’s amputation following negligent medical care, that is a medical negligence claim. This is something our medical negligence team can advise you on.

How long after a Syme's amputation do I have to claim?

You have three years from the date of the accident or from the time you became aware that the accident (or medical negligence) led directly to your amputation to make a claim. It is always better to launch a Syme’s amputation compensation claim as soon as you can.

How long does a Syme's amputation claim take?

Serious injury claims, including Syme’s amputation claims, tend to take longer than more straightforward injuries. This is because doctors may need time to assess how the amputation will affect you in the long term. We also need to understand what prosthetics, rehabilitation and care you will need.

If the other party admits liability, we can ask them for an interim payment to cover urgent costs while the claim continues. Any amount you receive comes off your final compensation.