A superintendent stood behind a safety fence at a construction site off Memorial Drive in Houston, where he was overseeing a project that involved the use of a drilling auger attached to a crane for deep foundation drilling. The auger got stuck, and as the operator attempted to unstick the drill, the crane collapsed on the superintendent.
His injuries forced doctors to perform an above-the-knee amputation.
Our client didn’t have a desk job at the time of the incident. The loss of his leg meant the immediate loss of his career and income. Just as importantly, it created mental anguish, trauma, and physical pain. He called Arnold & Itkin for help. We took his case to trial, and over the course of three weeks, our Houston amputation accident attorneys argued that our client needed significant financial support to overcome his injury and move on with his life. The jury agreed.
Our client was awarded $44 million, the largest award for an amputee victim in U.S. history.
When life-changing injuries happen, our Houston amputation lawyers stand ready to find answers and seek accountability for survivors and their families. Call now: (888) 493-1629.
After a traumatic amputation, the steps you take in the hours, days, and weeks that follow can affect your physical recovery and your ability to take legal action. Emergency treatment comes first. Once your immediate medical needs are addressed, preserving evidence and getting legal guidance can help protect your position.
If you or someone you love has suffered an amputation injury in Houston:
Call 911 and seek emergency medical help as quickly as possible.
Notify applicable parties: your employer, site supervisor, or property owner right away.
Take photos of the area, equipment, and your injuries if possible.
Record names and contact details of anyone who saw what happened.
Preserve evidence, such as damaged clothing, equipment, medical records, and incident reports.
Don’t speak to insurance companies or sign releases or other paperwork without legal advice.
Attend follow-up medical appointments and keep all treatment records.
A Houston Trial Firm Built for Catastrophic Injury Cases
Arnold & Itkin was founded in 2004 and is headquartered in Houston. Our attorneys have recovered more than $25 billion for clients across Texas and the U.S., including record-setting verdicts and settlements that have changed lives and forced corporations to take accountability for the harm they’ve caused.
That record includes multi-billion-dollar verdicts of $8 billion, $2.25 billion, and $2.07 billion. These results don’t guarantee the outcome of another claim, but they demonstrate our experience preparing complex cases against well-funded defendants.
We prepare every case for trial because serious amputation claims may involve disputed evidence, multiple companies, and insurers determined to minimize responsibility. Depending on the facts, a claim may involve an employer, contractor, equipment manufacturer, property owner, transportation company, or another party. We investigate each potential source of liability rather than accepting the first explanation offered.
What sets our firm apart is how we treat our clients. We fight for them like family, help them access necessary medical care, and work to identify the resources they may need for rehabilitation and long-term recovery.
When your life has been forever changed, you need a team that won’t back down. Our Houston amputation attorneys are prepared to help you rebuild.
Amputation & Crush Injury Lawsuits Filed by Our Firm
The matters below reflect the range of transportation, railroad, and workplace incidents that can cause devastating crush trauma. A filed lawsuit presents allegations that may remain disputed unless and until the case is resolved. It isn’t the same as a completed settlement or verdict.
Our team filed a lawsuit for a motorcyclist struck by an 18-wheeler while escorting a funeral procession. The lawsuit alleges that the crash caused multiple broken bones and severe leg trauma likely to require amputation, and it seeks accountability from the trucking defendants for alleged safety failures.
In another matter, we represent a railroad mechanic who was nearly crushed beneath a 10-ton locomotive while performing maintenance work. The lawsuit alleges that the incident left him with a shattered pelvis, spinal injuries, and permanent mobility limitations. Our lawsuit seeks to hold the company responsible for the conditions alleged to have caused his injuries.
Losing a limb in a catastrophic accident can leave a person in pain and anguish for years or a lifetime, making it harder to earn a living, perform daily tasks, or take part in activities once enjoyed. The financial impact may extend far beyond the initial hospitalization. Prosthetic care, limb-loss rehabilitation, physical therapy, adaptive equipment, and assistance with daily activities may create continuing needs.
Possible physical, functional, and emotional effects include:
Loss of mobility or dexterity.
Residual-limb pain and phantom limb pain, which is pain perceived in the missing limb.
Infection and wound complications.
Muscle contractures that restrict movement.
Fatigue or exhaustion.
Deep-vein thrombosis.
Body-image concerns.
Social isolation and emotional distress.
A historical study indexed by PubMed documented substantial hospital and professional costs associated with amputation care. Actual expenses vary by injury level, complications, treatment, prosthetic needs, insurance coverage, and the length of rehabilitation. A legal claim may also need to address losses that medical bills don’t capture, including pain and suffering, lost income, reduced earning capacity, and loss of enjoyment of life.
Damages an Amputation Claim May Address
The value of a claim depends on the liability evidence, the nature of the injury, available insurance or assets, medical documentation, employment impact, and applicable law. A careful damages analysis considers losses already incurred and reasonably supported future needs.
An amputation injury claim may seek compensation for:
Past and future medical expenses.
Prosthetic limbs, fittings, adjustments, and replacement needs.
Rehabilitation and physical therapy.
Adaptive equipment and assistance with daily activities.
The imbalance caused by an amputation can alter gait, place additional stress on joints, and affect long-term mobility. Some people may experience joint or bone complications, including osteoarthritis, osteopenia, or osteoporosis. The risks and treatment needs differ for every patient and should be evaluated by qualified medical professionals.
Prosthetic fitting can involve repeated assessments and adjustments. An unsuitable fit or alignment may contribute to residual-limb discomfort, blisters, limited function, or falls. Before resolving a claim, the damages analysis should consider past expenses, current treatment, and supported future costs rather than focusing only on the initial surgery.
Medical, vocational, life-care, or economic evidence may be needed to evaluate future treatment, prosthetic replacement, rehabilitation, loss of earning capacity, and assistance needs. Our goal is to build a record that reflects the full scope of the injury and its long-term consequences.
What Is a Crush Injury?
A crush injury occurs when intense or sustained compression damages muscles, blood vessels, nerves, bones, and other tissues. The severity depends on factors such as the force involved, how long compression lasted, the body part affected, disruption of blood flow, and the timing of treatment. These injuries can range from localized damage to limb-threatening or life-threatening trauma.
In severe cases, bone, muscle, nerve, or blood-vessel damage may be so extensive that the limb can’t be saved. Compartment syndrome, which is dangerous pressure building within a closed muscle compartment, can also restrict circulation and damage tissue. Amputation may be considered when a limb can’t be preserved or when complications threaten the patient.
Crush injuries occur in settings involving heavy machinery, vehicles, falling objects, collapsing structures, and moving cargo. Houston’s construction, industrial, shipping, railroad, and transportation activity makes careful investigation of these incidents especially important.
Crush trauma can be associated with serious complications, including:
Prompt medical evaluation matters because the visible wound may not reveal the full extent of damage to muscles, nerves, blood vessels, or internal organs.
Why Severe Crush Injuries Are Medical Emergencies
Severe compression can damage muscle cells and release proteins and electrolytes into the bloodstream. Rhabdomyolysis is the rapid breakdown of injured muscle tissue. In serious cases, it can contribute to dangerous electrolyte disturbances, kidney injury, shock, and other systemic complications.
Possible complications of severe crush trauma include:
Acute kidney injury.
Dangerous electrolyte imbalances.
Shock and organ complications.
Infection or tissue death.
Chronic pain and functional impairment.
These outcomes don’t occur in every crush injury, but the possibility makes immediate medical assessment essential. Treatment may include monitoring, fluids, medication, wound care, or surgery depending on the patient’s condition. Complex Regional Pain Syndrome is a chronic pain condition that can develop after an injury and cause pain that is disproportionate to the original trauma, along with changes in sensation, swelling, or movement.
Causes of Amputation & Crush Injuries in Houston, Texas
Heavy equipment and machinery with moving parts can cause crushing injuries in construction and industrial settings. Liability questions may involve machine guarding, inspection and maintenance records, lockout procedures, worker training, supervision, and whether the equipment was defective. The responsible parties depend on who controlled the work, owned or manufactured the equipment, and contributed to the unsafe condition.
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, 6,200 workers experienced nonfatal workplace injuries involving amputation in 2018. Machinery was involved in 58% of those cases. These figures describe 2018 data and shouldn’t be read as current annual totals.
Who May Be Responsible?
Potentially responsible parties vary according to the accident and the relationships between the people and companies involved. They may include contractors, subcontractors, equipment manufacturers, property owners, trucking companies, railroads, maritime operators, or other entities. Workplace claims may also involve legal rules that differ from an ordinary negligence lawsuit.
Our investigation examines contracts, safety policies, inspection records, maintenance records, witness accounts, equipment data, photographs, and other available evidence. A traumatic amputation doesn’t automatically establish liability. The evidence must connect a party’s negligence, defective product, or other legally actionable conduct to the injury.
Typical Steps in a Texas Amputation Injury Claim
Although every claim is different, most move through stages that help establish what happened, who’s responsible, and what losses the case should address.
A serious amputation claim may proceed through these stages:
Initial consultation: We listen to what happened, review the available information, and discuss potential legal options.
Investigation: We gather photographs, witness statements, reports, company safety records, equipment information, and other relevant evidence.
Liability analysis: We identify potentially responsible parties and evaluate the legal claims supported by the facts.
Medical and financial documentation: We collect records concerning treatment, prosthetic care, rehabilitation, employment, income, and other losses.
Future-needs analysis: When appropriate, medical, vocational, life-care, or economic professionals can help evaluate future expenses and lost earning capacity.
Negotiation and litigation: We present the claim to insurers and defendants while continuing to prepare the case for trial.
Trial preparation: If a fair resolution isn’t offered, we’re prepared to present the evidence to a judge or jury.
A settlement decision should account for documented current losses and reasonably supported future needs. No attorney can promise a specific recovery or timeline, but thorough preparation can give the claimant a clearer understanding of the available options.
We work on a contingency basis. Clients don’t pay attorney fees or litigation expenses unless we win a verdict or settlement on their behalf.
Medical, Prosthetic & Support Resources in Houston
Recovering from an amputation can involve coordinated medical treatment, prosthetic care, physical and occupational therapy, vocational assistance, and emotional support. The following organizations are presented as independent resources, not as partners of our firm. Program names, availability, eligibility, and services may change, so patients should confirm current information directly.
Houston-area rehabilitation and prosthetic resources include:
Encompass Health Rehabilitation Hospital of Houston This rehabilitation hospital provides inpatient rehabilitation services. Patients should contact the facility to confirm available amputation-related programs and admission requirements.
Patients in and around the Houston area may also seek information from Unlimited Prosthetics or Centers for Mobility Prosthetics. H.E.L.P for Amputees provides information about local support and educational resources. Contact each organization directly to verify current services, meeting schedules, eligibility, and locations.
When our Houston personal injury lawyers take on a case, we combine local knowledge with national resources. We also help clients address legal issues while they navigate medical care and the practical demands of recovery.
A Survivor’s Experience with Our Firm
Dakota, a workplace explosion survivor, described what it was like to have our attorneys take over his case against a major corporation.
“I mean, me, just a little guy going against a major corporation, I was nothing. But then Arnold & Itkin came in and they really took over. They’re so smart, very intelligent, and they know the law and that means something.”
We have helped people pursue financial recovery in complex cases involving workplace machinery, cranes, cargo, maritime operations, vehicles, and industrial equipment. In addition to the $44 million verdict secured for the construction superintendent, our amputation and crush injury results include the following settlements and verdicts:
$16.5 million for a crane rigger who sustained a crushed pelvis from a crane load falling on him.
$12 million for a truck driver who was crushed by cargo while unloading and suffered a stroke.
$9.5 million for a longshoreman who was in an industrial crane accident and needed his leg amputated.
$9.25 million for a young man who suffered a traumatic leg amputation when a delivery truck hit him.
$6.75 million for a worker who had to have his left leg amputated after a pipe cleaning accident.
$6.5 million for a barge crew member whose face was crushed by a cage that fell after a faulty cable snapped.
$5.5 million for a contractor whose arm was crushed by a faulty pipe rack.
$4 million for a mariner who had to amputate a lower leg due to an infection from contaminated water.
$3 million for a worker whose right hand and arm were crushed on the job.
Every case depends on its own facts, evidence, defendants, available sources of recovery, and applicable law. Prior results don’t guarantee a similar outcome.
Discuss Your Amputation Injury with Our Trial Lawyers
A consultation gives you an opportunity to discuss the accident, the parties involved, your medical needs, and the legal options that may be available. At Arnold & Itkin, we’re ready to investigate what happened and pursue resources for medical care, lost wages, rehabilitation, prosthetic needs, and other documented losses.
Our record and approach include:
We have won more than $25 billion for our clients.
We prepare cases for trial and take on large corporations and insurers.
We treat clients with dignity and respect, like members of our own family.
We work on a contingency basis, so clients don’t pay attorney fees or litigation expenses unless we win.
No result or timeline can be promised. No matter what, we prepare every case for trial and account for immediate losses and documented long-term needs.
Unplanned amputation, arising from an accident or injury, is often referred to as traumatic amputation or loss of limb. It is estimated that about 30,000 people experience traumatic amputations in the U.S. each year. The leading causes of accidental traumatic amputation are car, truck, and motorcycle accidents; bicycle and pedestrian accidents; workplace accidents; construction accidents; industrial injuries; and electrocutions. For these people and their families, life will never be the same. They must deal with the emotional trauma of losing a part of their bodies and will have to re-learn tasks and movements that they used to take for granted: walking, running, picking up objects, fine motor skills, and more. These victims deserve to see justice served.
How Long Does It Take For Crush Injuries To Heal?
The length of time it will take for a crush injury to heal will depend on the extent of damage. A hand that’s partially crushed with no bone fractures, for example, may heal in a few days or weeks. A severely crushed limb may take multiple surgeries and months to heal. Some crush injuries are so severe that they require surgical amputation. You should talk to your doctor and see specialists as needed to ensure you have the best opportunity to heal.
How Are Crush Injuries Treated?
Treatment for a crush injury will depend on the extent of damage you’ve experienced. The path to recovery may include emergency treatment and hospitalization, surgery, physical therapy, and assistive devices. In some cases, complications like nerve damage may arise, limiting the use of the crushed limb or extremity even if it seems healed on the outside. Initial treatment, ongoing therapy, and living with a crush injury can be difficult and expensive. That’s why it is so important to recover full and fair compensation.
What Compensation Can I Recover In An Amputation Or Crush Injury Claim?
An injury claim should cover every expense, loss, and wrong a victim has experienced. This includes medical treatment and ongoing care, plus the cost of physical therapy and prosthetics, as well as medication and other medical supplies or assistive devices. It also includes lost income or future earnings, as many amputees cannot return to the same work that they previously performed or may be unable to work for an extended period of time. An amputation or crush injury lawsuit should also cover emotional trauma, which can be extensive after this type of devastating injury. Compensation should be awarded for pain, suffering, loss of enjoyment of life, and other psychological trauma. Recovery cannot erase the consequences of the accident itself, but it can help a victim and their family get the support they need to restore their lives and face brighter futures.
How Can an Amputation Attorney Help Me?
An amputation accident attorney in Houston can play an instrumental role in managing the complexities of your claim. First, they can help establish liability, identifying who is responsible for your injury, whether it involves employers, manufacturers, or third parties. Lawyers can negotiate with insurance companies on your behalf, ensuring you receive compensation that covers medical expenses, lost wages, and rehabilitation costs. Furthermore, an attorney with experience in handling amputation claims can project future damages, incorporating aspects like lifelong prosthetic maintenance and therapy costs, ensuring you are financially secure in the long term.
Can I Sue for Emotional Distress After an Amputation?
Texas law allows individuals to seek compensation for emotional distress following an amputation injury. This can include pain and suffering, mental anguish, and loss of enjoyment of life. However, proving emotional distress can be challenging and requires thorough documentation, sometimes supported by psychological evaluations and expert testimony. An amputation attorney can guide you through this process, ensuring all necessary evidence is collected and advocating fiercely on your behalf to make sure your emotional injuries are not overlooked in your pursuit of justice.
