Amputations are among the most traumatic workplace injuries that can occur. An amputation will, quite naturally, have a massive effect on your life, physically, psychologically and financially.
Those three things are all interconnected. For example, reduced mobility may prevent you from doing your job, leaving you struggling financially. Being unable to support your family could leave you feeling inadequate. Combined with negative feelings about everything else you can no longer do, the situation could lead to depression.
Your depression could then make it harder to secure a new job, worsening your financial problems. It could also harm your relationship with your partner if they struggle to cope with your changed personality. Relationship problems could further worsen your psychological state.
Get help to deal with the psychological damage as well as the physical harm
You may be able to get an artificial limb to help with physical tasks. With proper rehabilitation, you may be able to do things you never thought you’d do again – yet, that alone won’t heal everything. The psychological injury will require separate treatment. Here are some suggestions to consider:
- Talk to a qualified therapist: As much as your family and friends are willing to listen to you, it is probably better to get external help. Firstly, your loved ones may be struggling to deal with your limb loss themselves. Secondly, someone with appropriate training can help you in ways your loved ones cannot.
- Join a support group: Sometimes it is helpful to talk to others who share your experience. They bring a personal understanding of your situation that someone who has not lost a limb can never offer. They can also provide camaraderie and inspiration as to what is possible.
If you lose a limb, you need to focus on healing, not filling out paperwork. Having a compassionate legal team take charge of your workers’ compensation claim frees you up to focus on what’s personal.