Amputation injury in Phoenix: care, workplace rules and time limits

Call 911 right away. A severed part sometimes can be reattached, and Phoenix has several state-designated Level I trauma centers. If you lost the limb on a Phoenix job, your employer has 24 hours to report it to OSHA. A workers' comp claim is due in writing within one year. A claim against someone else generally has 2 years.

Last checked November 9, 2026 · Official sources (41)

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Map of downtown Phoenix near 800 W. Washington St., where the Industrial Commission of Arizona Claims Division is located
Employers must report a work amputation within 24 hours. Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors.

What happens in the first hours after a limb is lost in Phoenix?

Call 911. Reattaching a severed part is sometimes possible. Phoenix has state-designated Level I trauma centers at Valleywise Health (2601 E. Roosevelt) and Banner University Medical Center (1111 E. McDowell Rd.), among others.

Valleywise calls itself the area's only public teaching health system. Hospital paperwork can wait. A family member can start the list of names, dates and phone numbers for you.

What are the rules when a Phoenix worker loses a limb on the job?

StepRule
Employer reports to OSHAWithin 24 hours of an amputation or in-patient hospitalization
State inspectionADOSH puts imminent danger and fatalities first, then complaints, then planned inspections
Workers' comp claimIn writing to the Industrial Commission within one year
FaultComp is no-fault, so benefits are paid no matter who caused the accident
FeeThe Commission does not charge to process a claim
Spanish formForm 407, the Worker's Report of Injury, is available in Spanish

The Commission's Claims Division is at 800 W. Washington St., (602) 542-4661. Do not email Social Security numbers or private details. Fax to (602) 542-3373 or mail paper copies.

Can I also sue someone other than my employer?

Sometimes. If a person outside your employer caused the injury, such as an equipment maker or a contractor, Arizona lets you pursue that person. If you do not sue within one year, the claim is deemed assigned to the insurance carrier or self-insured employer. Talk to a lawyer before that date.

The comp schedule lists set periods for some losses: 50 months for a leg, and 60 months for a major arm or 50 for a minor arm.

What if the amputation came from a crash or a fall?

Then the claim is against whoever caused it. For a Phoenix case against a private person or business, the usual limit to sue is 2 years. If a city, county or other public body was involved, file a notice of claim within 180 days. A suit against the public body itself has a one-year limit.

Order the crash report early. DPS handles freeways and city streets belong to Phoenix Police. If you share blame, your award is cut by your share, not barred.

What does care look like after a limb is lost?

Fitting a prosthesis can start once the wound has mostly healed. Learning to use it takes time and therapy. After limb loss you may feel as if the limb is still there. These phantom sensations slowly get weaker. Most people can still be active.

Feelings come too. Sadness, anger and frustration are common. Arizona's crisis line says to dial 988 any hour. The statewide number is 1-844-534-HOPE.

If Medicare covers you, Part B pays for prosthetics a provider orders. Medicare leaves you with 20 percent of the cost once the deductible is met. A prosthetic leg or foot may need prior authorization, so ask the supplier before you order.

How do lawyers count the long-term cost of limb loss?

They look at care for life, not just the first bills. One long-running study put projected lifetime health care costs after amputation at $509,275, in 2002 dollars. That is an old number, so treat it as a reminder that the costs run for decades. Arizona juries are told to weigh future medical costs, lost earning power, pain, disability and disfigurement.

Questions

Can a family member file the workers' comp claim?

Yes. The claim must be in writing within one year, and it can be filed by someone on the injured person's behalf.

What if my employer has no workers' comp insurance?

An employer that fails to comply loses the comp protections and can be sued under other Arizona law. The Commission has a coverage verification tool.

Do I have to tell my employer?

Yes, report the accident and injury to the employer right away. Without it, comp can be denied.

Who handles decisions if I cannot?

Maricopa's Probate court appoints guardians and conservators for people who need help with decisions.

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Sources (41)

  1. MedlinePlus (NIH), checked 2026-11-09. “the part sometimes can be reattached”
  2. Arizona DHS, State Designated Trauma Centers, checked 2026-11-08. “Valleywise Health 2601 E. Roosevelt, Phoenix, AZ 85008 12/19/24 12/19/27”
  3. Arizona DHS, State Designated Trauma Centers, checked 2026-11-08. “Banner - University Medical Center 1111 E. McDowell Rd., Phoenix, AZ 85006 11/18/25 11/18/27”
  4. OSHA, checked 2026-11-09. “An in-patient hospitalization, amputation, or eye loss must be reported within 24 hours.”
  5. Industrial Commission of Arizona, checked 2026-11-08. “An injured worker must file a claim in writing with the Commission within one year after the injury occurred.”
  6. A.R.S. § 12-542, checked 2026-11-08. “within two years after the cause of action accrues”
  7. A.R.S. § 23-1044, checked 2026-11-09. “For the loss of a leg, fifty months.”
  8. A.R.S. § 23-1044, checked 2026-11-09. “For the loss of a major arm, sixty months, or of a minor arm, fifty months.”
  9. MedlinePlus (NIH), checked 2026-11-09. “Sadness, anger, and frustration are common.”
  10. Solari Crisis Response Network, Arizona crisis line, checked 2026-11-09. “Dial 988 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year”
  11. Valleywise Health, About, checked 2026-11-09. “only public teaching health system”
  12. Industrial Commission of Arizona, ADOSH FAQ, checked 2026-11-09. “Imminent Danger; Fatality/Catastrophe Investigations”
  13. Industrial Commission of Arizona, checked 2026-11-08. “you receive medical and compensation benefits no matter who caused the job-related accident.”
  14. Industrial Commission of Arizona, checked 2026-11-08. “The Industrial Commission of Arizona does not charge a fee to process a workplace injury claim.”
  15. Industrial Commission of Arizona, checked 2026-11-08. “Formulario de informe de lesión del trabajador - 407”
  16. Industrial Commission of Arizona, checked 2026-11-08. “Phoenix: 800 W Washington St, Phoenix AZ 85007 - Phone: (602) 542-4661”
  17. Industrial Commission of Arizona, checked 2026-11-08. “Instead, FAX such materials to the FAX number below or mail paper copies to a mailing address below.”
  18. A.R.S. § 23-1023(A), checked 2026-11-08. “by the negligence or wrong of another person not in the same employ, the injured employee, or in event of death the injured employee's dependents, may pursue the injured person's remedy against the other person.”
  19. A.R.S. § 23-1023(B), checked 2026-11-08. “do not pursue a remedy pursuant to this section against the other person by instituting an action within one year after the cause of action accrues [...] the claim against the other person is deemed assigned to the insurance carrier or self-insured employer”
  20. Arizona Revised Statutes 12-821.01, checked 2026-11-08. “within one hundred eighty days after the cause of action accrues”
  21. A.R.S. § 12-821, checked 2026-11-09. “All actions against any public entity or public employee shall be brought within one year after the cause of action accrues and not afterward.”
  22. Arizona DPS, Request Records, checked 2026-11-08. “maintains records for collisions (accidents) that were investigated by DPS Troopers occurring on an Interstate or State Highway”
  23. Arizona DPS, Request Records, checked 2026-11-08. “If the report you are requesting was the result of a collision that occurred on a town, city or county road, contact the law enforcement agency in that jurisdiction.”
  24. A.R.S. § 12-2505, checked 2026-11-09. “the full damages shall be reduced in proportion to the relative degree of the claimant's fault”
  25. MedlinePlus (NIH), checked 2026-11-09. “Fitting for a prosthesis, a manmade part to replace your limb, may occur when your wound is mostly healed and the surrounding area is no longer tender to the touch.”
  26. MedlinePlus (NIH), checked 2026-11-09. “Learning how to use it takes time. Physical therapy can help you adapt.”
  27. MedlinePlus (NIH), checked 2026-11-09. “you may feel as if the limb is still there”
  28. MedlinePlus (NIH), checked 2026-11-09. “Most people can still be active following amputation.”
  29. Solari Crisis Response Network, Arizona crisis line, checked 2026-11-09. “Arizona Statewide 1-844-534-HOPE”
  30. Medicare.gov, checked 2026-11-09. “Medicare Part B (Medical Insurance) covers prosthetic devices when a doctor or other health care provider orders them”
  31. Medicare.gov, checked 2026-11-09. “you pay 20% of the Medicare-approved amount”
  32. Medicare.gov, checked 2026-11-09. “Some states may require prior authorization for certain types of lower-limb prosthetics before Medicare will pay.”
  33. PubMed (NIH), MacKenzie et al., J Bone Joint Surg Am 2007, checked 2026-11-09. “The projected lifetime health-care cost for the patients who had undergone amputation was three times higher than that for those treated with reconstruction ($509,275 and $163,282, respectively).”
  34. Revised Arizona Jury Instructions (Civil), Personal Injury Damages 1, checked 2026-11-09. “Reasonable expenses for necessary medical care, treatment, and services already incurred and reasonably probable to be incurred in the future.”
  35. Revised Arizona Jury Instructions (Civil), Personal Injury Damages 1, checked 2026-11-09. “Lost earnings to date, and any decrease in earning power or capacity in the future.”
  36. Revised Arizona Jury Instructions (Civil), Personal Injury Damages 1, checked 2026-11-09. “The pain, discomfort, suffering, disability, disfigurement, and anxiety already experienced, and reasonably probable to be experienced in the future.”
  37. A.R.S. § 23-1061(A), checked 2026-11-08. “no claim for compensation shall be valid or enforceable unless the claim is filed with the commission by the employee, or if resulting in death by the parties entitled to compensation, or someone on their behalf, in writing within one year after the injury occurred or the right thereto accrued.”
  38. A.R.S. § 23-907(A), checked 2026-11-08. “Employers who are subject to and who fail to comply with section 23-961 or 23-962 shall not be entitled to the benefits of this chapter during the period of noncompliance, but shall be liable in an action under any other applicable law of the state.”
  39. Industrial Commission of Arizona, checked 2026-11-08. “Workers' Compensation Coverage Verification”
  40. A.R.S. § 23-908(E)-(F), checked 2026-11-08. “the employee shall forthwith report the accident and the injury resulting from the accident to the employer [...] no compensation shall be paid for the injury claimed to have resulted from the accident.”
  41. Maricopa County Superior Court, Guardianships and Conservatorships, checked 2026-11-09. “The Probate court appoints guardians and conservators for these persons”

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