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Leading charity, Diabetes UK, estimates that diabetes leads to almost 9600 leg, toe, or foot amputations in the UK every year. That’s that 185 diabetes-related lower limb amputations each week. The charity estimates that 80% of these could have been prevented.

The estimated number of preventable amputations is based on the large proportion of these cases which begin with foot ulcers. Unhealed ulcers and foot infections are the main cause of diabetes-related amputations. Foot ulcers in people with diabetes are avoidable with proper foot care. They are also treatable if the first signs are spotted early and acted upon quickly, but are often unrecognised and untreated in people with diabetes until it is too late to save the foot or avoid amputation.

Diabetes affects more than 4.9 million people in the UK. Negligent diabetic healthcare is also the cause of some of the most common types of claims that we see against GPs. This is because diabetes is a risk factor for serious medical complications and conditions, including amputation.

What is diabetes?

Diabetes is a serious condition in which an individual’s blood sugar (glucose) level is too high. There are different types of diabetes, of which the most common are type 1 and type 2.

In type 1 diabetes the body's immune system attacks and destroys the cells that produce insulin, the hormone which controls blood sugar by moving it out of the blood and breaking it down to produce energy. Type 1 diabetics need insulin injections to control their blood sugar.

In the increasingly common type 2 diabetes, the body becomes resistant to insulin or does not produce enough of it to control the blood sugar. If caught early, type 2 diabetes may be managed with lifestyle changes. As the disease progresses over time, medication may be needed.

Diabetes is related to various other conditions, including thyroid disease, coeliac disease, dental problems and muscular conditions, such as Dupuytren’s contracture. Diabetes also has its own serious complications, including hypoglycaemia (low blood sugar), threats to eyesight from retinopathy and blindness, cardiovascular disease, nephropathy (kidney damage) and neuropathy (nerve damage). People with diabetes can reduce their risk of suffering these complications by controlling their blood pressure, blood glucose and blood fat levels, keeping active and maintaining a healthy body weight. Smoking and poor management of their diabetic health increase their risks. Good foot care is essential to reduce the risk of disability from lower limb amputation.

High blood sugar levels causes damage to the blood vessels and impairs the blood flow to the feet and legs. Uncontrolled diabetes is therefore a common cause of lower limb amputations. It has been estimated that someone with diabetes is 20 times more likely to experience an amputation than someone who is not affected by the condition.

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Client Story - Kevin Ridsdale amputation claim

Diabetic amputation claims frequently asked questions

Why are diabetics at greater risk of amputation?

When an individual has diabetes, their body struggles to control their blood sugar (glucose) level and If blood glucose levels are persistently high, this damages the blood vessels and affects the circulation of blood to the legs and feet.

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What conditions and complications of diabetes can lead to amputation compensation claims?

Our specialist amputation lawyers have recovered damages settlements and awards for amputee clients with diabetes following negligent treatment of:

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What types of negligent diabetes care lead to amputation?

Our friendly, experienced medical negligence lawyers have helped clients with diabetes who suffered amputation after:

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How much compensation can I claim for an amputation caused by negligent diabetic care?

Boyes Turner’s nationally acclaimed serious injury solicitors have recovered medical negligence compensation for amputees with diabetes for: 

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What is charcot foot?

Charcot foot is a serious, limb-threatening complication of diabetes. It is caused by a combination of factors, including reduced muscle control, tissue damage and loss of sensation from diabetic neuropathy (damage to the nerves).

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What are the symptoms of charcot foot?

Symptoms which suggest Charcot foot include:

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How Boyes Turner helps amputee clients after medical negligence

For over 30 years, Boyes Turner’s top-rated and successful medical negligence team have helped clients disabled by diabetic amputation recover compensation to rebuild their lives.

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Recent diabetic amputation cases

£1.3m settlement for a man with diabetes who suffered a below-knee amputation after a GP practice nurse failed to refer him for multidisciplinary foot care for an infected foot wound. Our client benefited from £175,000 interim payments which met his urgent needs whilst he underwent a trial of prosthesis. 

£950,000 compensation settlement for a 60-year-old man with diabetes who needed a below-knee amputation after negligent GP and hospital care led to delay in diagnosis and treatment of Charcot foot. Earlier in the claim, we obtained interim (advance) payments for our client which paid for specialist prosthetic limbs, including a water activity limb which allowed him to return to his former hobby of kayaking.

£600,000 compensation for a man with diabetes who received negligent care from a walk-in centre and hospital after he ran over his foot with a lawn mower. Mistakes in the treatment of his foot injury led to a below knee amputation. Our client used a £75,000 interim payment earlier in the claim to pay for specialist prosthetic (artificial) limbs, including a water activity limb. 

£210,000 compensation for a 70 year-old man with diabetes and peripheral neuropathy who needed a below-knee amputation after GPs and practise nurses at his GP surgery failed to act on his infection and refer him for specialist foot care.  Our client’s diabetes and peripheral neuropathy put him at increased risk of amputation after he suffered a minor injury to his foot.

Liability (fault) judgment in an ongoing case for a client with diabetes who needed a below knee amputation after a nurse practitioner failed to treat his foot injury as a foot-care emergency and refer him to a multidisciplinary foot care (MDFC) team. Delays in admission to hospital and treatment with intravenous (IV) antibiotics led to sepsis and amputation. An interim payment of £100,000 was obtained to pay for a trial of prosthesis whilst we work with our experts to value the claim.

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Meet your specialist team

Our specialist Diabetic amputation claims team are considered leaders in the field and have a significant amount of expertise.
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Susan Brown

Partner

Julie Marsh headshot

Julie Marsh

Partner

Richard Money-Kyrle headshot

Richard Money-Kyrle

Partner

Sita Soni headshot

Sita Soni

Senior Associate - solicitor

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Vanessa Wand

Senior associate - solicitor

Rachel Makore headshot

Rachel Makore

Associate - solicitor

Tara Pileggi-Byrne photo

Tara Pileggi-Byrne

Associate - Solicitor

Alpa Rana headshot

Alpa Rana

Associate - solicitor

Fran Rothwell

Fran Rothwell

Associate solicitor

Ben Ireland headshot

Ben Ireland

Solicitor

Alice Carley headshot

Alice Carley

Paralegal

Audrey Elmore headshot

Audrey Elmore

Medical records coordinator

Nicky Melville headshot

Nicky Melville

Professional support assistant

Susan Brown photo
Julie Marsh headshot
Richard Money-Kyrle headshot
Sita Soni headshot
Vanessa Wand photo
Rachel Makore headshot
Tara Pileggi-Byrne photo
Alpa Rana headshot
Fran Rothwell
Ben Ireland headshot
Alice Carley headshot
Audrey Elmore headshot
Nicky Melville headshot

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What is diabetes?

How can diabetics reduce their risk of serious complications including amputation?

How can people with diabetes reduce their risk of Charcot foot?

What types of negligent diabetes care lead to amputation?

What is Charcot foot?

What are the symptoms of Charcot foot?

What is a medical negligence claim?

Who can make a medical negligence claim?

Can I claim against the NHS?

Will I need to go to court to claim medical negligence compensation?

How much compensation can you get for medical negligence?

What can medical negligence compensation pay for?

How to fund a medical negligence claim?

Will I need a medical examination if I make a medical negligence claim for compensation?

What are the time limits for making a medical negligence claim?

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How long do medical negligence claims take?

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How can you prove medical negligence?

Diabetic amputation cases

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