If accident injuries prevent you from working, you may be experiencing financial strain that affects the entire household. You may be unable to pay your bills, afford your established lifestyle, or seek the care necessary to move forward after an accident.
Beyond the basic paycheck, time off work may also mean missed overtime opportunities, used vacation or sick days, and lost bonuses. If this occurs, any financial compensation that you received based on injuries sustained from the auto accident that you suffered may help offset any significant healthcare bills or other financial obligations.
Below are some additional questions and answers that can help you understand your financial rights and challenges following an auto accident.
Can you receive compensation if you are unable to work after an accident?
Generally, compensation is available if this happens. You can receive compensation if your inability to work is due to your accident-related injuries.
In order to build a viable claim for damages, you will need the help of a medical professional. Your doctor will need to make an official determination that your injuries restrict your ability to work or require you to be taken off work. To support your claim, you will need to provide a doctor’s note or other written documentation to your employer.
Can I receive disability insurance payments after an auto accident?
While federal Social Security Disability benefits are reserved for individuals with long-term disabilities that exceed or are expected to exceed twelve months in duration, you may be able to receive compensation from any short-term disability insurance coverage you carry through your employer or independently.
Short-term disability insurance policies typically replace between 50-75 percent of an individual’s salary due to an illness or injury that leaves the individual temporarily unable to work. In addition to short-term disability insurance, some individuals also maintain long-term disability insurance.
Contact your Human Resource representative or insurance provider for a copy of your insurance policy. If you do not have short-term disability insurance or if you need additional compensation to meet your financial obligations, a personal injury attorney can help you identify other avenues for recovering your lost wages
Can I recover compensation for lost wages from the person responsible for my accident?
Yes, you can file a personal injury lawsuit against the responsible driver and seek compensation for lost wages as part of your damages. It is important to keep detailed records of your injuries, medical treatment, and a record of all accident-related work absences and lost wages for each absence. Having documentation of a medical opinion as to how your injury impedes your ability to work with an estimate of the duration of recovery needed may also be helpful to establish your claim for lost wages. To recover lost wages in a personal injury lawsuit, you must be able to prove that any lost wages were a direct result of the injuries caused by the accident.
Do I need to hire an auto accident attorney?
If you were injured in an accident and those injuries caused you to miss work, you need an experienced accident attorney to help you determine the best way to recover those lost wages, as well as compensation for medical bills, pain and suffering, and other accident-related expenses.
The team at Bashore Green is here to help, with experienced lawyers that can help you create a plan to secure the financial compensation you deserve.