Suffering a work-related brain injury can mean that a person has trouble coming back to perform their work duties. That might lead to not being unable to work at all, but others will still be able to do their job duties if they have special accommodations at work.
There are several things that employers can do to help employees who are coming back to work after a traumatic brain injury. It’s important that you tell your employer what you need if you’re coming back and need some extra help.
Examples of job accommodations after a brain injury
There are many different things that might help you to do your job duties. When you’re first going back to work, you may need to reduce the distractions in your workspace. Being able to have natural lighting and getting rid of clutter may be beneficial.
Things like written instructions, to-do lists, and visual reminders for meetings and similar events might also be useful. You may have to leave notes for yourself. Find out if you can record meetings so you can refer to the recordings later.
People who suffer from a work-related brain injury may be ready to get back to work as soon as possible. In some cases, it’s possible to do this if the employer provides accommodations that enable you to do your work duties. When it’s not possible to return to your former job duties, your workers’ compensation coverage should provide vocational rehab. This, along with the accommodations, could get you back into the workforce much faster. You may have to fight to get the benefits you’re due from workers’ compensation, so have someone on your side who can assist you with this.
