How well did he play before the injury?

If he was already pretty competent I'd have to think that he may be frustrated for a while but in very short order would be pretty competent again.

I've thought about this most of the day and even duct taped my other two fingers to see if it wasn't so.

We get so used to alternate fingerings as we play that we don't even think about them. Think about it....

Without picking up your guitar can you remember how you finger a particualar G chord in a particular song (as Fielding suggests, or with your middle finiger on the low E)? I know I rarely think about it -- I just compensate.

With my fingers duct taped I just reflexively muted or didn't play strings I knew (again reflexively) that I didn't have covered.

Try it (the duct tape test)and I bet you'll find the same to be true. You are so used to fingering in alternative ways that you'll probably be able to play almost anything you aready do -- at least in first position.