Industrial accidents may lead to devastating results. Fingers often get jammed in gears and high-speed pistons risk hands and limbs with a simple slip.
Whether through accident or negligence, it is important to understand what follows a catastrophic injury at work that leads to an amputation.
Hospitalization
Emergency care and surgery come into play shortly after an industrial accident. While doctors attempt to save what they can, they may also make choices that lower the risk of infection. This may include partial or full amputations of an arm from the fingertip all the way to the shoulder.
Recovery
As Medical Center Orthotics & Prosthetics reports, hospital stays for recovery likely last around 2 weeks depending on how you heal. Doctors and nurses will advise you on positioning, bandaging and skin cleaning while you adjust to this new normal. The surface area of an upper arm scars over within 3 to 4 weeks but rarely fully heals until long after.
Once at a certain point, your hospital may help you review the recovery, identify your range of motion and help with prosthetic needs.
Working after an amputation
Workers’ compensation has details to cover workplace accidents like amputation and may have further options to help you get up to speed with a new disability. Amputation frequently involves a loss of ability and productivity alongside high hospital costs for surgery and recovery.
This is not an impossible hurdle though. Many amputees recover and thrive with the help of workers’ compensation, their social supports and other helpful resources when moving forward with their lives.