Amputee Awareness Week 2025: Understanding limb loss

What is the impact of amputation?

A new report by KPMG reveals that every three hours, someone in Australia loses a lower limb. By 2050, the number of amputees is projected to double to more than 300,000 people.

The financial impact is also significant, with costs expected to rise from $1.7 billion today to $32.9 billion, making amputees the largest physical disability group in Australia.

Beyond the physical challenges, many amputees face depression, anxiety, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), low self-esteem, body image issues, increased dependence on others, social isolation and grief.

Limb loss also affects families and communities, particularly unpaid carers. Much of the economic cost comes from lost work hours, time off for surgery and rehabilitation, and carers leaving or reducing paid employment to provide support.

What leads to limb loss?

Often recognised as one of the earliest forms of surgical procedures, amputation is usually the last resort when other treatment options have failed.

While traumatic amputation and diabetic amputations are more commonly known, there are a number of other circumstances in which your healthcare provider may recommend this course of treatment.

These include:

• Infection and sepsis – when an infection becomes untreatable and threatens to spread to the bone or bloodstream, reduce blood flow, or cause tissue death (necrosis). In these cases, the treating team may recommend amputation to stop the infection.
• Vascular disease – poor blood flow caused by underlying vascular disease can lead to non-healing ulcers, damaged tissue or tissue death, which may require amputation.
• Tumours – cancers such as sarcomas can affect bone and soft tissue. In some cases, amputation may be needed to remove the tumour and any affected cancer cells.

However, some amputations occur as a result of medical negligence, where there has been a delayed diagnosis and/or a delay in providing effective treatment. This leads to the infection or disease progressing to a stage where amputation becomes the only viable option, which can be a breach of duty of care.

When this happens, the consequences can be life-changing. Patients are often left with irreversible physical challenges, emotional trauma, and ongoing financial strain. These consequences could have been avoided with appropriate medical care.

Our team of experienced medical negligence lawyers has acted for both children and adults who have lost some or all of their limbs, which has affected their ability to carry out daily activities. Many of our clients require prosthetic limbs and assistive devices, which are not only costly but must also be regularly replaced throughout their lives.

For example, young Billy* (name changed for privacy) attended the hospital with signs of infection. A delayed diagnosis led to sepsis and, tragically, the loss of his limbs.

We continue to advocate for clients whose early warning signs were missed, vital tests were not ordered, or critical procedures were not performed, helping them pursue medical negligence claims and amputation compensation.

How we can help

Medical negligence cases are often complex and can involve disputes with large, well-resourced institutions. For those already coping with the trauma of limb loss, starting a compensation claim can feel overwhelming. That’s why it’s vital to have experienced medical negligence lawyers on your side.

If you or a loved one has suffered an avoidable amputation due to medical negligence, you may be entitled to make an amputation compensation claim. Our team will take the time to listen to your story, explain your legal options, and guide you through the process of seeking compensation for limb loss.

We remain committed to advocating for those affected, ensuring they are empowered, supported, and fairly compensated.

Contact us today for a confidential, no-obligation consultation with our experienced medical negligence team.