Cut cable tripped breaker and left circuit dead after reset
It's very unlikely the wiring in the walls was damaged. Usually what happens is a weak connection gets fried by the short circuit.  As many others have mentioned previously here, these failures are often the result of the infamous "back stab" outlets.  You might have to take out several of them (WITH THE POWER OFF) and inspect for loose connections or obvious damage. If no damage found and the outlets removed and carefully placed, turn the power back on and start testing. 

To clarify, did you get a spark when you cut the excess wire? I would have been quite noticeable.   Also, what type of breaker is it?  Arc fault? Ground fault? Did you test at the breaker panel to see if you have power coming out of the breaker? 

This may take some detective work here, but to allay your fear, it's not likely a failure of wires in the wall.