Traumatic brain injuries (TBIs) can be devastating to those who experience them. Aside from the obvious physical consequences that TBIs inflict, their effects ripple further into people’s lives, limiting their opportunities. One such area in which this holds true, according to experts at Redondo Beach personal injury attorneys at McLachlan Law, is employment, with individuals who have suffered from TBIs finding it difficult to track down work following their injuries.
Employment stats bear this out, according to the Brain Injury Association of America, with TBI-affected individuals having reduced success returning to work or finding new employment. Difficult doesn’t mean impossible, though, and there are a few avenues of employment particularly suited for those who have experienced brain trauma.
Job Tips For Those With TBIs
While some might be able to return to their old job with ease, others might find that TBI has affected their cognitive abilities, making it difficult to perform work that was once routine. In such cases where returning to an old job may not be possible, it’s important for those with TBIs to keep an open mind about alternate forms of employment that are more accommodating to their present situation.
Alternative Employment Situations For Those With TBIs
What alternate scenarios work well for those with TBIs? For starters, there’s the sheltered workshop. These have long been a place where individuals with disabilities are employed, separately from others, and without the fear of losing their job due to their limitations. Such employment situations are also suitable for those with TBIs, giving them a place to work on simple tasks that are within their ability, without the threat of reprisal as they adjust to their post-injury life.
Sheltered workshops aren’t the only place those with TBIs might potentially work, though. They may also have success at supported employment — a form of vocational rehabilitation that helps those with mental disorders or injuries from car accidents and the like, find employment at competitive positions.
It may include assistance with some of the preparatory work in finding and applying for a job, such as preparing a resume and practicing interview skills. In some cases, an employment support coach might even accompany a candidate to their initial job interviews.
While these two forms of assisted employment are common, they are not the only ways that individuals with brain injuries might find themselves contributing to society. They might also find success with self-employment, creating their own manageable, small business, and, in time, even expanding as they continue down their path of recovery.