Amputation Attorney in San Antonio

What Compensation May Be Available in a Texas Amputation Claim

Texas law allows amputation injury victims to pursue both economic and non-economic damages. The scope of a well-documented claim is broad.

Economic damages may include:

• Emergency care, surgery, and hospitalization
• Prosthetic devices, maintenance, and future replacements
• Physical and occupational therapy
• Home and vehicle modifications for accessibility
• Lost wages and loss of earning capacity when amputation limits or ends prior employment

Non-economic damages may include:

• Pain and suffering
• Mental anguish
• Disfigurement
• Loss of enjoyment of life

Future costs are often the largest component of an amputation claim. Prosthetic technology requires ongoing maintenance and eventual replacement, and secondary complications such as residual limb issues and joint stress can create decades of additional medical need. In cases involving gross negligence, punitive damages may also be available. We work to make sure no recoverable category is left off the table.

Common Causes of Amputation Injuries in San Antonio

Traumatic and surgical amputations typically result from high-force events that crush, sever, or destroy limb tissue beyond repair. The most common causes we see include:

• Motor vehicle accidents: Car accidents generate the kind of impact force that causes traumatic amputation at the scene or requires surgical amputation afterward
• Workplace accidents: Construction sites, manufacturing facilities, oilfield operations, and industrial settings all involve equipment and conditions that can cause crush injuries or machinery entanglements
• Defective products: Faulty machinery, tools, or equipment can cause limb injuries where liability may extend to manufacturers and distributors under Texas product liability law
• Pedestrian and bicycle accidents: Collisions involving lower extremities at vehicle speed frequently result in injuries severe enough to require amputation
• Dog bites and animal attacks: Severe tissue damage from an animal attack can require surgical amputation in some cases

One important point: if a limb had to be amputated in a hospital because the initial injury left it unsalvageable, the party responsible for the accident may still be liable. The location of the amputation doesn’t change who caused it.

Texas Law & the Timeline for Amputation Claims

Two legal deadlines matter immediately in any Texas amputation case. The general statute of limitations for personal injury claims, found in Texas Civil Practice and Remedies Code Section 16.003, is two years from the date of the incident. Miss that window and the right to recover may be gone. The second deadline applies when a government vehicle or entity is involved. Under the Texas Tort Claims Act, formal written notice is generally required within six months of the incident, but some local governments impose shorter deadlines. If a city or county employee’s negligence contributed to the injury, that shorter clock may already be running.

For workplace amputations covered by workers’ compensation, a different framework applies. The injury must be reported to the employer within 30 days, and the workers’ compensation claim must be filed within one year of the accident. Accepting those benefits can affect the ability to sue the employer directly, though claims against third parties, including equipment manufacturers or independent subcontractors, may still be available separately.

Texas modified comparative negligence under Section 33.001 allows recovery as long as the injured person is found 50% or less at fault, with compensation reduced proportionally by any assigned percentage. Insurance adjusters sometimes try to shift fault onto the injured party to reduce what they owe. We’re prepared for that, and we push back.

San Antonio Resources for Amputees

Legal recovery is one part of rebuilding after limb loss. San Antonio has several resources that may help during recovery and beyond.

The San Antonio Amputee Foundation (SAAF) has supported amputees in the area since 1997. 

Brooke Army Medical Center in San Antonio provides rehabilitation services for amputees, including physical and occupational therapy programs.

Additional post-amputation rehabilitation is available through facilities within the Baptist Health System and PAM Health Warm Springs Rehabilitation Hospital of Northeast San Antonio. The national Amputee Coalition also provides peer support, education, and resources accessible to San Antonio residents.

Marc LaHood Law has no affiliation with any of these organizations. We mention them because we believe our clients deserve support that extends beyond the courtroom, and recovery takes more than legal work.

Talk to a San Antonio Amputation Attorney at No Cost

Deadlines arrive before you expect them, and evidence disappears. The sooner you have legal representation, the better positioned your claim may be. Marc LaHood and our team are available to discuss your situation, answer your questions honestly, and explain your options in plain terms from the very first conversation.

There’s no fee for the consultation and no fee at all if we don’t win your case. Call Marc LaHood Law at (210) 714-2625 to get started.