After an amputation in Houston: care, work rules and who pays for what
For a work amputation in Houston, the employer must report it to OSHA within 24 hours. Veterans can use the Houston VA Amputee Clinic. Most other claims must be filed within 2 years in Texas. A lawyer can help sort out who pays, but the first step is medical care.
Last checked November 9, 2026 · Official sources (27)
Where do people get care after an amputation in Houston?
Ben Taub is one of only two adult Level I trauma hospitals in Houston. Memorial Hermann Texas Medical Center is the second. A severed part can sometimes be reattached, so go to a hospital fast.
Prosthesis fitting begins when the wound is mostly healed, and learning to use one takes time and therapy. Many people go on to be active. Some feel the limb is still there, called phantom sensation. Tell your care team if it hurts.
Veterans have a local option. The Houston VA Amputee Clinic offers services for Veterans with limb loss. A Veteran can get a prosthesis through VA regardless of service connection or where the surgery took place.
What if I lost a limb at work in Houston?
- Ask your employer to report it. An amputation or hospitalization must be reported to OSHA within 24 hours.
- Call OSHA. Houston South is 281-286-0583 and Houston North is 936-760-3800.
- Tell your employer in writing within 30 days and file the comp claim within 1 year.
- Houston workers can reach the Office of Injured Employee Counsel at 866-393-6432. It is free for injured workers without a lawyer.
- Ask whether your employer carries workers' comp. In 2022, 83 percent of private workers were with subscriber employers.
Houston's Ship Channel is called the largest petrochemical complex in the U.S., and heavy equipment injuries are part of that industry. Small employers are the most likely not to carry comp. Those with 1 to 4 workers had a 31 percent non-subscriber rate.
Who pays after an amputation in Houston?
| Source | What it can cover | Catch |
|---|---|---|
| Workers' comp | Medical care and income benefits. Lifetime income benefits apply to loss of both feet at or above the ankle and to loss of one foot and one hand | Usually your only claim against the employer |
| Third party lawsuit | Pain, loss of limb function, lost earnings | You can claim comp and also sue an outside party |
| Medicare | Part B covers prosthetic devices a provider orders | You pay 20 percent after the deductible |
| Veterans benefits | Prosthesis through the Houston VA | Must be a Veteran |
Medicare recovers payments on liability claims, so it may be repaid from a settlement.
How much does an amputation cost over a lifetime?
One federal study of severe leg injuries put the projected lifetime cost at $509,275 for those with amputation, in 2002 dollars. That is a research figure, not a Houston price and not a promise of what a claim is worth. Prosthetics, replacements, therapy and lost earnings are the main parts.
In Texas, mental anguish, disfigurement and physical impairment each count as their own kind of noneconomic damage. Sadness and anger after limb loss are common, and they count as real harm.
How long do I have to file after an amputation in Houston?
For a limb lost in a crash, fall or job accident, the Texas filing limit is generally 2 years. If the City of Houston is involved, written notice is due within 90 days, and for Harris County within 180 days.
Questions
Can I get a prosthesis through a lawsuit in Houston?
A claim can seek the cost of future care, including prosthetics. A lawyer can explain how that is shown.
Do I need a lawyer to get workers' comp help in Houston?
No. The Office of Injured Employee Counsel offers free help to workers without a lawyer.
What if my employer does not carry comp?
In Texas, most private employers can choose not to. Ask early, and call 866-393-6432 for guidance.
Amputation in Houston? See if you are owed money.
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See if I’m owed moneySources (27)
- OSHA, checked 2026-11-09. “An in-patient hospitalization, amputation, or eye loss must be reported within 24 hours.”
- VA Houston Health Care, Amputation Care, checked 2026-11-09. “The Houston VA Amputee Clinic offers a variety of peri-surgical services for Veterans with limb loss, and is ready to help throughout your life.”
- Tex. Civ. Prac. & Rem. Code § 16.003, checked 2026-11-08. “not later than two years after the day the cause of action accrues”
- OSHA, Texas Area Offices, checked 2026-11-08. “Houston South Area Office 17625 El Camino Real, Suite 400 Houston, TX 77058 (281) 286-0583”
- Texas Department of Insurance, Employer Participation 2022, checked 2026-11-08. “the percentage of employees working for subscribers (83%)”
- Texas Department of Insurance, Employer Participation 2022, checked 2026-11-08. “had the highest percentage of non-subscribers at 31% in 2022”
- Texas Labor Code 417.001, checked 2026-11-09. “may seek damages from a third party who is or becomes liable to pay damages”
- Medicare.gov, checked 2026-11-09. “Medicare Part B (Medical Insurance) covers prosthetic devices when a doctor or other health care provider orders them”
- Medicare.gov, checked 2026-11-09. “you pay 20% of the Medicare-approved amount”
- VA Houston Health Care, Amputation Care, checked 2026-11-09. “You can get your prosthesis through VA regardless of service connection or where the surgery takes place.”
- Harris Health, About Us, checked 2026-11-09. “one of only two adult Level I trauma hospitals in Houston”
- Texas DSHS, Texas Trauma Facilities, checked 2026-11-08. “MEMORIAL HERMANN - TEXAS MEDICAL CENTER 5/1/2028 Q HOUSTON 77030”
- MedlinePlus (NIH), checked 2026-11-09. “Most people can still be active following amputation.”
- MedlinePlus (NIH), checked 2026-11-09. “you may feel as if the limb is still there”
- OSHA, Texas Area Offices, checked 2026-11-08. “Houston North Area Office 690 S. Loop 336 W., Suite 400 Conroe, TX 77304 (936) 760-3800”
- Texas Labor Code 409.001, checked 2026-11-09. “not later than the 30th day after the date on which”
- Texas Labor Code 409.003, checked 2026-11-09. “a claim for compensation for an injury not later than one year after the date on which”
- Office of Injured Employee Counsel, Ombudsman Services, checked 2026-11-08. “Contact OIEC: (866) 393-6432”
- Office of Injured Employee Counsel, Ombudsman Services, checked 2026-11-08. “All OIEC services, including ombudsman services, are provided at no cost.”
- Greater Houston Port Bureau, presentation to Houston City Council committee, Nov. 12, 2024, checked 2026-11-09. “Houston Ship Channel Recognized as the Largest Petrochemical Complex in the U.S.”
- Texas Labor Code § 408.161, checked 2026-11-09. “loss of both feet at or above the ankle”
- Texas Labor Code § 408.161, checked 2026-11-09. “loss of one foot at or above the ankle and the loss of one hand at or above the wrist”
- Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, checked 2026-11-09. “claims where the beneficiary must repay Medicare”
- 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).”
- Texas Civ. Prac. & Rem. Code § 41.001(12), checked 2026-11-09. “physical pain and suffering, mental or emotional pain or anguish, loss of consortium, disfigurement, physical impairment”
- City of Houston Legal Department, Filing a Claim, checked 2026-11-08. “duly verified, within 90 days after the same has been sustained”
- Harris County, Claim Filing Procedures, checked 2026-11-08. “Written notice of your claim must be mailed or delivered in person within 180 days of the occurrence to: Harris County Commissioners Court 1001 Preston, Room 610 Houston, Texas 77002”