New medical research offers promise for individuals with hand amputation.
We read a fascinating article in New Scientist last week. It reports on three men with serious nerve damage opting for amputation and replacement with a bionic hand. This procedure was made possible by Oskar Aszmann at the Medical University of Vienna in Austria.
The men had suffered damage to the brachial plexus resulting in paralyzed arms and hands. “But still there are some nerve fibres present,” says Aszmann. “The injury is so massive that there are only a few. This is just not enough to make the hand alive. They will never drive a hand, but they might drive a prosthetic hand.” The patients saw restored function and improved quality of life. The video is amazing and must be watched.
We are excited by these kinds of medical advances because of the potential application in workers’ compensation. Many of our clients suffer from amputation of an arm or hand in the course of employment. Damage to nerves is also a very common. We hope this news brings some hope to our clients suffering from similar medical issues.
Access to medical treatment under workers’ compensation is a lifetime benefit in Michigan. Insurance companies are required to pay all reasonable and necessary medical treatment. Unfortunately, this does not include experimental medical procedures.
It is possible to settle a claim and use this money to pursue medical treatment on your own terms. One of our former clients traveled to Germany and underwent experimental spine surgery.
Technology keeps advancing and it is likely that new treatments will become available. We hope our clients have better recoveries as these medical advances develop. A procedure that is experimental today might be very common in the near future.
Michigan Workers Comp Lawyers never charges a fee to evaluate a potential case. Our law firm has represented injured and disabled workers exclusively for more than 35 years. Call (855) 221-2667 for a free consultation today.
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