Amputation Settlement Calculator

Amputation values are among the highest in personal injury law, but they vary widely by which limb was lost and at what level. The table below shows typical ranges; the actual number turns on age, earning capacity, the lifetime cost of prosthetics, and the strength of liability.

Source: SetCalc analysis of court records, verdict databases, and legal publications, 2017-2026. Ranges assume clear liability and adequate insurance; actual recovery is capped by available policy limits. See settlement statistics by state.

The single most important fact in an amputation case is the level: how much of the limb was lost. Every additional joint lost means more function gone and a more complex, costlier prosthetic. The medical coding system records the level and whether the amputation was complete or partial, and those codes document the severity that drives the claim.

Source: ICD-10-CM 2026 code set. Each family separates complete from partial amputation and codes the exact level and side, all of which document the severity that drives settlement value.

The biggest number in an amputation case is almost always the future. The Johns Hopkins Center for Injury Research and Policy estimates the typical lifetime cost of an amputation at about $509,000, and that figure climbs past $1.5 million for complex or multiple amputations. The reason is simple: a prosthesis is not a one-time purchase.

• •Prosthetics wear out. A prosthetic limb lasts only 3 to 5 years, so a young victim will need dozens of replacements over a lifetime. A basic prosthesis runs $5,000 to $10,000; an advanced microprocessor-controlled limb can exceed $50,000 to $100,000, every single time.
• •Lifetime totals are enormous. A below-knee amputation in a young adult generates roughly $1.5 to $2.5 million in lifetime costs; an above-knee amputation runs $2 to $4 million.
• •Care goes beyond the limb. Home and vehicle modifications, ongoing therapy, stump revisions, and attendant care all add to the total, alongside lost earning capacity.

Amputation does not only take a limb; it inflicts lasting physical and psychological pain that the law fully compensates. About three in four amputees experience phantom limb pain, sensations ranging from tingling to severe, burning pain in the limb that is no longer there, and roughly half describe it as severe. Because it is chronic and often lifelong, documented phantom limb pain is a major driver of pain-and-suffering damages.

Limb loss also carries a heavy psychological toll. Depression, anxiety, post-traumatic stress, and a profound change in body image and identity are common and well-recognized. Documenting these harms with treating-provider records, a symptom journal, and where appropriate a psychological evaluation adds substantial, legitimate value to the claim.

Two victims can lose the same limb and recover very different amounts. The reasons are age and which side was lost, and both come down to how much future harm the amputation causes.

Here is what real amputation settlements and verdicts look like once you account for level, age, and lifetime cost. These examples are modeled on patterns in actual settlement and verdict data.

The ranges and examples above are a starting point. Your specific value depends on the combination of your amputation level, your age, your occupation and lost earning capacity, your lifetime prosthetic and care needs, and your state.

SetCalc's AI-powered calculator weighs your specific details against real settlement data from your state. Unlike generic calculators, it factors in: