How Returning to Work Too Soon Can Affect Your Auto Injury Claim

Returning to work as soon as possible may sound good, however, returning to work too soon can jeopardize your chances of receiving fair compensation for your injuries.

While you know you need time to recover physically and emotionally after a car accident, sometimes it’s more tempting to return to work as soon as possible. After all, missed days can mean lost wages, and many of us have bills that can’t wait. This sounds good in theory, however, in reality, returning to work too soon can jeopardize your chances of receiving fair compensation for your injuries. Here’s how:

You Could End up Aggravating Your Injuries

Your body needs time to heal. Returning to work before your body fully recovers from the accident can delay your healing process and worsen your injuries. This could lead to more doctor’s visits, more time off from work, and increased medical expenses, which could negatively impact your auto injury claim.

You May Re-Injure Yourself

If you try to tough it out and do too much too soon, you may re-injure yourself or even develop new injuries. This could lengthen the time it takes to recover and make it more difficult to collect your compensation benefits.

You Could Miss Out on Important Medical Treatment

It can be easy to get caught up in the busyness of work and forget a doctor’s appointment. Additionally, your employer may not be understanding or accommodating if you need to take time off for medical appointments related to your injury. This can further delay your treatment and negatively impact your claim. Missing doctor’s appointments can also affect the credibility of your injuries.

You Could Have a Harder Time Proving The Car Accident Caused Your Injuries

Returning to work too soon can also make it difficult to prove that your injuries are the result of your car accident. If you wait until you’re fully healed before returning to work, it will be easier to show that your injuries are directly related to the accident. This is important because you need to prove beyond reasonable doubt that your injuries resulted from your car accident to receive compensation.

It May Be Used to Downplay Your Injuries

Insurance companies often use return-to-work status as an indicator of the severity of an individual’s injuries. If you go back to work too soon, the insurance company may argue that your injuries are not as severe as you claim and use this as a reason to deny or devalue your claim.

While it’s understandable to want to get back to your normal routine, going back to work too soon before you’ve had a chance to rest and heal can end up causing more harm than good. So if you’ve been in a car accident, be sure to listen to your doctor and take the time you need to recover before returning to work. Your body will thank you for it!

St. Louis Car Accident Lawyer

If you have been injured in a St. Louis car accident, The Hoffmann Law Firm is here to help! Our St. Louis car accident attorney has 25 years of experience and can evaluate your case for free. Give us a call 24/7 to learn more about your rights after a car accident.