Losing a limb or a digit changes far more than your body. It reaches into your work, your independence, your mental health, and your finances, often for the rest of your life. If you or someone close to you has suffered an amputation because of an accident or someone else’s negligence, it is worth understanding what these injuries really cost, and making sure any compensation reflects that.
Types of Amputation
Phantom Pain and Psychological Impact
Many amputees experience phantom pain, where they feel pain in the area where the limb once was. This condition can be distressing and requires ongoing management.
The psychological toll is just as real, from adjusting to a changed body image to living with depression or anxiety.
Prosthetics and Financial Implications
A good prosthetic limb restores a lot of function, but it is expensive, and it needs adjusting and replacing again and again over a lifetime. Those recurring costs add up to far more than people expect, and they are easy to underestimate if your lawyer has not handled amputation claims before.
Case Example: In 2021, the court awarded a plaintiff who was 24 when injured and 31 at trial approximately $1.05 million for the cost of prosthetics alone for a below-the-knee amputation (awarded in euros, about €649,000 after a 2022 correction, because he lived in Germany).[1]
These are complex claims. Valuing one properly means understanding the real, ongoing expenses behind it: prosthetics, medical care, and changes to your home or vehicle. Get those details wrong and the claim can settle for far less than you actually need to live on.
We build amputation claims around your full picture, not just this year’s bills. Working with medical and rehabilitation experts, we cost out prosthetics, long-term care, and everything else your injury will demand over time, so the compensation you recover actually holds up for the long haul.
How Do Amputation Injuries Happen?
How your amputation happened decides who you can hold responsible. The causes we see most often are:
Each cause points to a different responsible party and a different kind of claim, so it helps to pin down the right pathway early. If you are not sure where your situation fits, we can work that out with you.
What Compensation Can You Claim for an Amputation?
An amputation changes your life for good, and a properly run claim reflects that. Compensation looks at what you have already lost and what you will need in the years ahead, including:
- The cost of prosthetic limbs and their replacement over your lifetime, which is often one of the largest parts of the claim
- Past and future medical, rehabilitation, and therapy costs
- The cost of care and assistance, including help provided by family
- Home and vehicle modifications to accommodate your injury
- Lost income and loss of future earning capacity
- Pain, suffering, and loss of enjoyment of life
Prosthetics wear out and need replacing every few years, and care needs tend to grow with age. Getting the value right means accounting for a lifetime of need, not just the bills in front of you today.
How much compensation for an amputation in Queensland?
Pain and suffering (general damages) is assessed on Queensland’s injury scale. The court gives the injury an injury scale value (ISV) between 0 and 100 from Schedule 3 of the Civil Liability Regulation 2025 (Qld), and the ISV converts to a dollar amount. These are the ranges for the common amputations, with the dollar amounts for injuries on or after 1 July 2026.
| Amputation | ISV range | General damages |
|---|---|---|
| One leg, below the knee | 31 to 45 | $93,250 to $159,900 |
| One leg, above or through the knee | 35 to 50 | $110,650 to $185,450 |
| Both legs, below the knee | 50 to 65 | $185,450 to $268,900 |
| One foot | 20 to 35 | $51,450 to $110,650 |
| One arm, below the elbow | 35 to 60 | $110,650 to $239,950 |
| One arm, through or above the elbow | 40 to 65 | $134,350 to $268,900 |
| Thumb or part of the thumb | 15 to 28 | $35,700 to $80,980 |
| An individual finger | 5 to 20 | $10,050 to $51,450 |
| Great toe | 6 to 12 | $12,410 to $27,390 |
Where an injury sits in its range depends on the details. For a below-knee amputation, the Regulation puts a straightforward case with no complications at or near the bottom, and an amputation close to the knee that leaves little stump for a prosthesis at or near the top. For an injury from an earlier year, or to look up any other injury, use our ISV lookup.
General damages are usually the smaller part of an amputation claim. In Bosk v Burgess, below, general damages were $167,760 of a judgment worth about $2.08 million. Most of the rest was future prosthetics, lost earnings and care. WorkCover common law claims use a separate injury scale under the workers’ compensation regulation, with different dollar amounts.
What Queensland courts have decided in amputation cases
Amputation claims rarely reach judgment in Queensland; most resolve at settlement. Two recent decisions from our Personal Injury Quantum Database illustrate what the cases turn on, and they make an instructive pair, because the outcome tracks the lasting impact of the injury rather than the word “amputation” itself.
Important note: these are summaries of published Queensland court judgments. They are statistics and examples from decided cases, not a prediction, promise or guarantee about the outcome or value of any claim. Every case depends on its own facts.
Time Limits for Amputation Claims in Queensland
Time limits that may apply to your claim
| Your situation | First step | Deadline for it | Court proceedings |
|---|---|---|---|
| Injured at work | Lodge a claim with WorkCover | 6 months (late lodgement possible with reasonable cause) | 3 years from the injury |
| Car accident, vehicle identified | Notice of Accident Claim to the CTP insurer | 9 months, or 1 month after first seeing a lawyer, whichever comes first | 3 years |
| Injured in a public place or on private property | Part 1 Notice of Claim to the person responsible or their insurer | 9 months, or 1 month after first seeing a lawyer, whichever comes first | 3 years from the injury |
Children: the 3-year period runs from age 18. Other exceptions apply, including loss of legal capacity. Missing a first-step deadline does not always end a claim, but it can, so get advice early. Vehicle not identified: notice to the Nominal Defendant within 3 months and an absolute bar at 9 months.
Queensland sets firm deadlines for injury claims, and they differ depending on how you were hurt. As a general guide, a motor vehicle claim needs a Notice of Accident Claim Form within 9 months of the accident (or 1 month of first consulting a lawyer), a public liability claim requires a notice of claim within 9 months of the injury (or 1 month of first consulting a lawyer), a WorkCover claim must be lodged within 6 months, and court proceedings usually have to start within three years. A missed deadline can sink an otherwise strong case, so the sooner you speak to someone, the better. Call us on 1300 335 334 for a free, no-obligation chat about where you stand.
Frequently Asked Questions
Possibly. Your compensation may be reduced to reflect your share of responsibility, known as contributory negligence, but being partly at fault does not automatically prevent a claim.
It depends on the amputation, your age, your work, and your future care and prosthetic needs. Because those needs last a lifetime, amputation claims are often substantial. General damages alone range from about $10,000 for a single finger to about $269,000 for the loss of both legs below the knee, under the 2026 injury scale, before prosthetics, lost earnings and care are added. We can assess yours at no cost.
Yes. A properly prepared claim accounts for the cost of replacing prosthetics over your lifetime, along with future care, therapy, and equipment.
If an amputation was caused or made worse by negligent medical care, you may have a medical negligence claim in addition to, or instead of, other avenues.
Strict time limits apply in Queensland, generally around three years to start court proceedings, with earlier notice required for some claims. It is best to get advice early.
Roche Legal acts on a No Win No Fee basis, so there is no upfront cost to find out where you stand.
Injured? Get a Free Initial Consultation
It costs nothing to find out if you have a claim. A free consultation can be arranged by phone on 1300 335 334. Speak with one of our Brisbane compensation lawyers today.
If you or a loved one has suffered an amputation due to negligence or an accident, contact Roche Legal today for a comprehensive evaluation of your case. Let us help you navigate the complexities of your claim and ensure that you receive the compensation you need to move forward with your life.
[1] Bosk v Burgess & Anor (QBE Insurance) [2021] QSC 338