Impossible to tell with information provided.

However, the scenario does make me wonder how the bozos that did the work got chosen to do it and why they weren't supervised.

1-3... INCHES?

It'll recover, sure. Might not have the greatest form though, more branch splitting than you would normally get. Probably not major but always good to show us a photo.

The people who did that should probably not be hired again. They have no idea what they're doing.

Around here, all the major "tree trimmers" with the big bucket trucks simply mutilate trees with not a clue to what they're doing. NEVER trust a person near a tree unless they're a certified arborist.

I don't really understand why a 15 year old maple would be deemed to need pruning. If it was misshapen an all over haircut is not what it needed. If it was too big then 3 inches is no use and the choice of tree needs rethinking. If it was not misshapen and not too big why touch it at all?

That said, it will recover but have twiggy regrowth, leading to more branching, as famartin said.

"Monkey with a chainsaw"

Arktrees

THanks. I will try get a picture, hard to see the cuts now that it is summer. I will try though, I find it surprising that they did this because they are a very reputable company! Not just some cheap gut with a truck. Spent over $1000 on pruning all my trees. They only head cut the Maple though... They are one of the top 5 best pruners in the city.

They just slipped a notch in my opinion. When a maple is pruned that way then it usually has to be pruned again that way in the future. Thus, insuring them more business.
I think they did more harm to your wallet than your tree.
I'm waiting for a picture.
Mike

"They are one of the top 5 best pruners in the city."

Do not mistake the words "large" and "good" when it comes to companies. The bank bailouts are one recent national story which comes to mind.

Also on a more personal note, my mother's condo was built by one of the largest builders in St Louis. Oops, they forgot the firewall between her condo and the neighbor. Come to find out they forgot a good number of them in the development. Also when they were installing the plumbing in the bathroom "one of the top 5 builders" cut out some floor joists which were in the way.

Economic theorists pretend capitalism weeds out bad companies. To some degree it does but there are as many exceptions and there are cases of good companies gone bad while looking out for the quarterly report. So yeah, do not mistake "large" and "good".