Losing a Limb Changes Everything. We Can Help You Understand Your Options.

An amputation injury lawyer helps people who lost a limb, or part of one, because someone else was negligent. In Georgia, most injury lawsuits must be filed within two years, so timing matters. Slam Dunk Attorney is a personal injury law firm based in Duluth, Georgia, serving injured people across metro Atlanta and the state.

Losing a limb changes work, home life and finances all at once. This page explains what an amputation claim involves and what the first step looks like.

What an Amputation Injury Claim Is and Who It Is For

An amputation injury claim seeks compensation when another party’s negligence causes the loss of a limb, finger, toe or other body part. The loss can be full or partial. Some limbs are removed in surgery after a crash. Others are lost because the damage cannot be repaired.

Amputation is a catastrophic injury, and its effects often reach work, daily life and long-term medical needs. Other catastrophic injuries include paralysis, which MedlinePlus describes as a loss of muscle function, and traumatic brain injury, which can range from mild to catastrophic.

The injured person can bring the claim. If the injury causes death and no person is entitled to bring a wrongful death claim under Code Section 51-4-2 or 51-4-4, the administrator or executor of the decedent may bring the claim for the benefit of the next of kin. Under O.C.G.A. § 51-4-5, when no person is entitled to bring a wrongful death action under Code Section 51-4-2 or 51-4-4, the personal representative may recover the full value of the decedent’s life for the next of kin.

This page is for injured Georgians, family members, and people in Duluth, Lawrenceville, Johns Creek, Alpharetta, Marietta, Norcross, Kennesaw and Dunwoody who are weighing medical bills and early insurance calls.

Accidents That Can Lead to an Amputation Injury Claim

Amputation claims can arise from many accident types. The cause often shapes who may be responsible. The firm handles car, truck, motorcycle, pedestrian, rideshare, short-term rental, premises liability, slip and fall and negligent security matters.

• Car, truck and motorcycle crashes. Heavy impacts can crush or sever a limb. Truck cases can involve more than one potentially responsible party.
• Pedestrian accidents. O.C.G.A. § 40-6-93 requires every driver to exercise due care to avoid colliding with any pedestrian on a roadway.
• Rideshare accidents. Uber and Lyft cases raise questions about the driver and the company. O.C.G.A. § 40-1-201 sets conditions on when a ride share network service can be held liable. O.C.G.A. § 40-1-201(a) provides that a ride share network service is not liable under any theory of liability, including vicarious or product liability, for injury to persons or damage to property from the operation of a personal passenger car by a ride share driver, provided that: (1) there has been no negligence or criminal misconduct by the ride share network service; (2) the ride share network service is in compliance with the requirements of this part relating to obligations to a ride share driver and any other provision otherwise required by law; and (3) the ride share network service conducts or causes to be conducted a criminal background check, or obtains a private background check certification as described in Code Section 40-5-39, for each ride share driver at least once every two years.
• Short-term rental injuries. Airbnb and VRBO guests can be hurt by unsafe stairs, decks or wiring.

Early mistakes often hurt a claim. Delayed medical care creates gaps that insurers may question. Speaking with an adjuster before the claim is reviewed can lead to statements used later. Keep photos, witness names, police report numbers, and every bill and prosthetic receipt.

What an Amputation Claim May Include

An amputation claim may seek money for medical bills, prosthetics, therapy, lost income and pain and suffering. Georgia separates losses into general and special damages. O.C.G.A. § 51-12-2 says special damages must be proved, while general damages may be recovered without proof of an amount.

• Medical expenses. Emergency care, surgery, hospital stays, follow-up visits and future treatment tied to the injury. Under O.C.G.A. § 51-12-2, special damages are those which actually flow from a tortious act and must be proved in order to be recovered.
• Prosthetics and adaptive equipment. Fittings, replacements and adjustments as the body changes over time.
• Rehabilitation. Physical and occupational therapy, and home changes a medical provider recommends.
• Lost income. Missed work and a reduced ability to return to the same job.
• Pain and daily life. How the injury affects sleep, mobility, hobbies and family roles.

When future economic losses are awarded, the trier of fact may reduce them to present value. O.C.G.A. § 51-12-13 allows a 5 percent rate or another rate the trier of fact considers appropriate.

The value of any claim depends on the facts, the medical evidence and the parties involved. No outcome or dollar amount can be promised at the start of a case.

Georgia Deadlines for an Amputation Injury Claim

Georgia generally requires lawsuits for injuries to the person to be brought within two years after the right of action accrues, under O.C.G.A. § 9-3-33; injuries to the reputation must be brought within one year, and loss of consortium actions within four years. A lawyer can review your dates early. Wrongful death claims also have time limits, and other rules may apply depending on the defendant.

Fault affects recovery, too. Under O.C.G.A. § 51-12-33, damages are reduced by the injured person’s percentage of fault. If that person is 50 percent or more responsible, no damages are recovered. Each defendant pays only its own apportioned share.

Evidence can disappear quickly. Vehicle data, surveillance footage and witness contact details may be lost or overwritten. An insurance claim and a lawsuit are different steps. Many matters start as insurance claims, and a lawsuit is considered only if those claims cannot be resolved.

What to Expect: From Free Consultation to Resolution

The process starts with a free, confidential first consultation. Here is what usually happens next.

1. Contact the firm. Request a free consultation or call for a free case review. The first conversation is confidential.
2. Share the facts. Bring accident details, medical records, photos, police report information and insurance letters.
3. Review and investigate. Once you choose representation, the firm reviews liability, gathers records and communicates with insurers and other parties for you.
4. Demand and negotiation. The firm explains each offer in plain terms and recommends next steps based on the medical and factual picture.
5. Lawsuit if needed. If claims cannot be resolved, a lawsuit may be filed in the appropriate Georgia court. Timelines vary, so the firm gives an estimate only after reviewing your facts.

Throughout the process, the firm keeps clients informed about key developments.

Why Clients Work With Slam Dunk Attorney

Slam Dunk Attorney is a personal injury law firm based in Duluth, Georgia. It represents injured people across metro Atlanta and Georgia, including catastrophic injury matters such as amputation, spinal cord injury, traumatic brain injury and severe burns.

Peter F. Jaraysi is the responsible lawyer for this page. Our lawyers, including Brian D. Wright, work with assistants and office staff on each matter, so clients have a team to contact.

The firm focuses on clear communication, careful review of medical records, and what you need to decide next. It does not advertise case results. Each matter is evaluated on its own facts.

Fees, Costs and Common Questions

The first consultation is free, confidential and carries no obligation to continue. A client may still be responsible for court costs and case expenses, so fee and cost terms are reviewed in plain language before you decide.

If you or a family member lost a limb in a Georgia accident and are deciding what to do next, request your free consultation through the Slam Dunk Attorney contact page, or call the firm for a free case review. Peter F. Jaraysi is the responsible lawyer for this page.