Injury Keeping You From Work? 4 Tips For Financial Recovery

Whether you were injured in a car accident, a slip and fall or another type of accident that was not your fault, you may be unable to work. This means you cannot pay your bills or support your family. This can lead to stress which can actually slow your healing process. These four tips can help you recover financially while you heal from your injuries so that you can return to work.

Hire An Attorney

The first thing to do after an injury, whether you were at fault or not, is to hire an attorney. A personal injury attorney specializes in helping people just like you get compensation before there is any settlement or agreement as to fault. You may be eligible for lost wages, medical bills and reimbursement for transportation to and from your doctor.

Apply For Short- Or Long-Term Disability

Your employer may offer short- or long-term disability as a benefit. Contact your human resources department to see what is available. You will need documentation from medical professionals that you are unable to work and your employer may require access to your medical records to confirm that you are disabled. Although some disability insurance companies do not pay your full salary, anything they will pay can help ease your financial burden.

Social Security Disability

If you will be unable to work in the future, you may need to apply for Social Security Disability. The amount you will receive will be based on your earnings, so the more you have paid into the system, the more your benefits will be. However, Social Security Disability may be difficult to obtain as the government has very strict requirements on what qualifies as a disability. This is another area where an attorney can assist.

Other Positions

Even though you may not be able to perform your regular job duties, it is possible you can do other types of work for your employer. If you cannot walk, you could possibly answer phones, even on a part-time basis, as a way to bring in some income. If you are working with an attorney, discuss with them what restrictions you may have to be sure working part-time will not affect your case. In most cases, you can perform minor duties for your employer without risking a settlement.

Stress due to financial issues can cause slower healing. It is important to take whatever steps you can to manage your finances in order to heal properly and return to work as soon as possible.