What If I Can’t Work After an Accident?

If you can’t work after accident injuries, then you may seek compensation for lost wages and diminished earning capacity. You may be able to file a personal injury lawsuit or seek coverage through a workers’ compensation claim if your accident happened on the job.

Hiring a personal injury lawyer in Pittsburgh can take the weight of the legal process off your shoulders. Your attorney can examine the case, explain your legal options, and take appropriate action on your behalf.

What Do You Lose When You’re Unable to Work Because of an Accident?

Being unable to work deprives you and your family of the financial stability you once provided. If you file an insurance claim or lawsuit, you can seek compensation for several damages related to your inability to work, such as:

Lost Wages

For many employees, wages are contingent upon them going into an office, factory, or warehouse. If you’re unable to put in hours at your job, then obviously, you may not receive any wages. This situation can put immediate and intense financial stress on you and your dependents. With any action we take, we’ll aim to recover your lost wages.

Lost Productivity and Professional Standing

If you’re not at work, it’s obviously impossible for you to be productive. Unfair as it may be, your employer will need to continue with their daily operations. They may remove you from projects or shifts, and you may become less valuable to your company. This is a real cost of being injured that your accident lawyer can pursue for compensation.

Reduced Earning Capacity

Even if you can return to work after an injury, you may find that you are earning significantly less than you did pre-injury. You may lose earning power because:

• Working your normal hours aggravates injury symptoms, causing you to reduce your workload.
• Roles you occupied before your injury cause physical distress, limiting what tasks you can complete.
• You must completely change your profession to accommodate your injuries.
• You have lost standing at your company, causing you to resume work at a lower rank.

Effects on your earning power may depend on the type of job you do. Our accident attorneys can examine your regular income and see how your injury has affected your earning power.

Lost Bonuses and Professional Opportunities

Aside from lost wages and earning capacity, your inability to work may cause other professional losses. These losses may include:

• Any performance bonuses that you may have achieved
• Employer-matched retirement contributions
• Promotion opportunities
• New jobs that you may have taken

The cost of an injury is steep. Our legal team can identify every type of professional loss you’ve suffered. We can then determine the verifiability of those amounts and what damages are recoverable.

How Can a Personal Injury Attorney Help?

A personal injury lawyer can help whether or not you can work after your accident. A personal injury attorney can handle a variety of case types, including:

• Car accidents
• Truck accidents
• Slip and fall accidents
• Trip and fall accidents
• Motorcycle accidents
• Workers’ compensation
• Other accidents that cause you injury

You want an attorney who has handled your specific type of case before. Ideally, your lawyer will have won cases like yours for former clients.

Can Insurance Cover Your Accident-Related Losses?

Insurance is a viable option for some accident victims. The specifics of your insurance policy may dictate whether you can receive coverage for lost wages. Our team can read all applicable insurance policies and determine whether a claim for those benefits makes sense for you.

Our law firm is also versed in disability benefits claims. If your injuries prove to be long-term in nature, we may complete a disability claim for you.

What Duties Does a Personal Injury Lawyer Perform?

Our lawyers can handle every aspect of your claim or lawsuit. We always start with a free consultation with our clients. During the consultation, you have the chance to tell us what happened to you. You can ask questions about your case. Our lawyers can explain your legal options and what you can expect from the legal process. From there, we can:

• Investigate your accident
• Determine liability
• Gather evidence
• Document your losses
• Deal with insurance companies
• Deal with other attorneys
• Negotiate a settlement
• Go to trial when necessary

If retained, our law firm will also inform you of any updates in your case. While we tackle the legal legwork, you can focus on resting, getting medical treatment, and recovering from your injuries.

What Other Damages Can You Seek Compensation For?

In addition to your professional losses, we may seek coverage for other economic and non-economic losses in your case. Economic losses, like lost income, are tangible and can be easily presented as financial statements, bills, receipts, and invoices. Your non-economic damages are subjective and vary based on how the accident has affected your quality of life. The other damages in your case may include:

• Pain and suffering: Physical pain and emotional distress experienced, including anxiety, depression, post-trauma stress disorder (PTSD), and difficulty sleeping
• Repair or replacement of damaged property: Repairs to your car, replacement of lost personal effects such as cell phones
• Medical expenses: Surgery, hospitalization, doctor’s visits, medications, rehabilitation, and therapy
• Out-of-pocket expenses: Any other accident-related costs, such as temporary transportationWe account for every possible medical expense, damaged property, and non-economic loss when seeking coverage for our clients.

What Does It Cost to Hire a Personal Injury Lawyer?

Hiring our firm comes at no direct cost to you. If we receive a fee, it will come from your insurance payment, judgment, or settlement—not from your own pocket. If we don’t secure compensation for you, then you’ll owe us nothing.

How Much Time Do You Have to Take Legal Action?

Personal injury lawsuits have a deadline referred to as a statute of limitations. This deadline varies depending on the state in which the accident occurred. You must file your lawsuit before the deadline expires, or you may lose your right to sue. Our personal injury lawyers can ensure your case meets the deadline, but you must call us as soon as possible. 

Call Berger and Green Today for a Free Consultation About Your Accident Case

Suffering injuries in an accident can put a strain on your finances, physical health, and wellbeing. Berger and Green will seek relief in the form of fair compensation. We will negotiate for nothing less than the fair settlement you deserve.

Call Berger and Green today for your free consultation. Our client testimonials can give you an idea of what you can expect from Berger and Green.