Losing an upper-limb in an on-the-job accident can be one of the most traumatic events imaginable. In fact, if you have suffered such an injury, your life has been profoundly altered. However, thanks to advances in prosthetic sciences and the rehabilitative therapy that is now available, it is possible for you to move on from your accident and still lead a happy and productive life.
On its website, the American Occupational Therapy Association points out that an upper-limb amputation can affect a person both physically and psychologically. To this end, the Association recommends a holistic approach to recovery therapy. This approach includes such things as:
- Recognizing and addressing psychosocial issues.
- Training in the use of prosthetics.
- Analyzing various tasks, both personal and work-related, that the injured individual must be able to function on a day-to-day basis.
- Creating modifications and setting goals to help the injured party successfully perform his or her tasks.
Recovery from the loss of all or part of an arm can be a lengthy process, during which time you may be unable to work at all. And once you have recovered to your fullest, you may not be able to do the same job you had prior to the injury. Moreover, your therapy will likely be quite costly. In cases involving amputations, injured workers need the benefits provided by workers’ compensation.
But if you or a loved one has lost a limb on the job, you are likely realizing that the rehab and recovery process is very complicated and involves many different aspects. As such, it may be very helpful to solicit the services of an experienced workers’ compensation attorney. The attorney could help you get a full assessment of your present and future costs. And the attorney can act on your behalf to obtain the full measure of your benefits.