4 Ways Your Income May Suffers After an Auto Accident

If you ever find yourself severely injured after a car accident, you should understand that your income could suffer.

One of the reasons why car accidents are so tragic is that they affect aspects of your life that you wouldn’t expect. One example of this idea is you losing income because of a severe injury. The one silver lining is that you might be able to recoup your lost wages with the help of an experienced car accident lawyer. Here are a few reasons your income might suffer after a car accident.

Missing Time From Work

The most apparent factor that decreases your income is missing work. No matter how much time you’re away, you could be at risk. If you’re an hourly worker, you will start to lose income right away, as you must be at work to make money. Even those on salary are at risk if they miss too many days. The reason is that your paid time off for sickness and vacation might run out before you get better. These effects are especially damaging when your injuries are severe because you might be out of work for months, rather than days or weeks. In these types of situations, you could miss a significant amount of time at your job.

Losing Your Job

Another tragic outcome is losing your job. This can happen in two ways. The first is you missing work for recovery. Some employers might not have the patience to wait until you are back, and will instead terminate you. The second situation is one where you lose your physical ability to complete your former job. An example might be a construction worker that suffers paralysis. In these cases, your company will likely not be able to keep you. There are some legal protections in place for these situations, but they do not apply to every case.

Inhibiting Growth

For this danger, you don’t lose your job, but you no longer have the ability to rise up the ranks. No matter how satisfied you are with your work, we’re guessing that you want to get promoted. Doing so will give you more responsibility and income, so it is almost always preferable to staying in the same place. Unfortunately, your injury might inhibit you from advancing your career. Though your employer may respect the fact that you are physically limited and let you keep your job, they could be hesitant to bring you up the company ladder.

Getting Stuck at One Job

Lastly, you might find yourself stuck at your current job. The way this happens is that a company retains you after your injury because you have a history with them and they are loyal to you. While this gesture is an incredible gift, it will likely not be given to you by other businesses. The result is getting stuck at one job, rather than moving to a new one and obtaining all of the benefits that might come with it.

If you ever find yourself severely injured after a car accident, you should understand that your income could suffer. That being said, you have legal options for recovering those losses. Your best chance at doing so is speaking with a St. Louis car accident lawyer and discussing the specifics of your case.