Throughout April, Limb Loss and Limb Difference UK seek to raise awareness of the support provided by charities across the UK to empower those within their community. They aim to highlight the work they do, to highlight the impact of living with limb loss and limb difference on individuals and their families.
At Tozers, we act for many clients affected by limb loss and limb difference, by a variety of different causes. We seek to ensure that not only do we support them through their medical negligence claim, but that they are signposted for further support services and charities. Where the cause of the injury can be a result of a variety of different reasons, the NHS pathway can be difficult to navigate.
Who are Limb Loss and Limb Difference UK?
The Limb Loss and Limb Difference collective work with those who may be suffering from emotional or physical difficulties, they aim to reduce isolation and loneliness whilst increasing self-esteem and wellbeing. They aim to empower people to seek support, and to raise awareness of both the struggles and the triumphs of their community.
We are keen to support their initiative to start a conversation following limb loss and to fly the flag of the charities in this sector that provide support to people across the UK.
Which charities and organisations do UK Limb Loss and Limb Difference work with?
The collective works with a host of inspirational charities ensuring that whatever the reason for the disability, there is one space where they can seek support.
Blesma
Blesma, The Limbless Veterans, is dedicated to assisting serving and ex-servicemen and women who have lost limbs or the use of a limb, an eye, or loss of sight.
The Douglas Bader Foundation
This foundation exists to advance and promote the physical, mental, and spiritual welfare of those born without or who have lost one or more limbs or are otherwise physically disabled.
Finding your Feet
This charity provides peer support within the amputee community. They provide 60 activities per month alongside vital mental health services.
Limb Power
Created in 2009, engaging amputees and individuals with limb impairments in physical activity and the arts to improve quality of life and to aid lifelong rehabilitation. They aim to bridge the gap between leaving a limb centre and engaging in community activity.
Limbless Association
This national charity champions lives beyond limb loss. Their mission is to ensure that No Amputee Need Cope Alone. They support amputees and work with sector professionals advising, informing, supporting, and connecting, aiming to empower all those living with limb loss to lead independent and fulfilled lives.
Positive Bones
Their goal is to provide life changing encouragement to those who have a limb disability as a result of injury, loss, or congenital limb difference by providing them with access to, and funding for, specialist equipment, prostheses, or services that will enable them to take part in new or existing hobbies and careers post-recovery.
Reach
A leading charity providing support and information to parents and their children affected by upper limb differences.
Steel Bones
A charity helping amputee families live life to the full, within a proactive supportive peer community. They have a year round calendar of regular social events for amputees and their families.
The Amputation Foundation
This unique charity supports not only amputees but also medical professionals in their work to give new amputees the best start, following amputation. They include benefits information, legal information, prosthetic centre advice, information, education, and retraining.
There are a total of 17 charities under this umbrella, full details and links to their websites can be found here: https://www.limblosslimbdifference.co.uk/whoweare
Who do Tozers support?
We act for clients who have suffered limb loss or are living with limb difference due to the following:
1. Delay in diagnosis of serious infections such as meningitis or sepsis resulting in limb loss;
2. Mismanagement of diabetes such as ulcers or Charcot arthropathy resulting in amputation;
3. Misdiagnosis of cancer;
4. Reduced blood supply to limbs;
5. Erb’s Palsy;
6. Delay in diagnosis of an orthopaedic injury resulting in unbearable pain, leading to amputation;
7. Surgical mistakes.
How can we help?
We will seek to provide answers and establish whether the care has fallen below an acceptable level, meaning the amputation or limb injury could have been prevented.
Once established, we will seek compensation to deal with the following main points:
1. General damages – that is compensation for the avoidable pain, suffering, and loss of amenity;
2. Special damages – that is the incurred and future financial losses suffered as a result of an established avoidable injury such as:
a. Care provided by friends and family;
b. Loss of earnings;
c. Aids and equipment;
d. Professional care;
e. Prosthesis;
f. Rehabilitation;
g. Occupational Therapy;
h. Accommodation and adaptation costs;
The aim of securing compensation is to improve quality of life, with our specialist medical negligence team carefully investigating and assessing each case depending on individual clients' needs.
If you have suffered life changes or consequences of an amputation or limb damage and you are concerned that this may be due to medical negligence, contact our friendly specialist medical negligence lawyers.
