A Florida judge of compensation claims ordered an employer to provide one of its employees with the i-LIMB Hand prosthesis and therapy to assist him with the use of the prosthesis.
The worker’s right, dominant arm was amputated below his elbow following a work accident. He was initially evaluated for a prosthesis and was recommended to be fit with an i-LIMB. The employer, however, refused that recommendation and provided him with two less expensive prosthetic devices.
The employee and his physician did more research on the i-LIMB, and the physician determined that the i-LIMB was medically necessary to maximize the employee’s recovery and provide a greater level of function. The physician also said the i-LIMB was neither experimental nor investigational.
The judge agreed and ordered the employer to provide the i-LIMB prosthesis and therapy to assist the employee.
The ruling means that in Florida, the i-LIMB Hand can be medically necessary to improve and aid in a worker’s recovery by enabling him or her to use a pointing finger for keystroke purposes and by providing fine motor precision.
