Injured and Unable to Work? How to Keep Your Job and Make Ends Meet
Tuesday, January 30, 2018, 6:00 PM | Leave Comment
Workplace accidents always seem to happen in the worst way at the worst time. While no one ever expects to be the one who is affected by a workplace accident, the truth is it can happen to anyone.
If you’ve been affected by a workplace accident and are wondering how you’re going to get by now, here are some important things to remember as you journey on the road to recovery.
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If You Have Time Off, Use It
It can be disheartening to see all those vacation days you’ve been saving up for a dream getaway get sucked up due to a workplace injury.
What’s even worse, though, is having to leave your job prematurely because you don’t have any paid leave to be able to burn.
If you’re able to use vacation time or other personal days as you recover from your injury, not only will you remain in good standing with your employer, but you’ll still have money coming in to help you make ends meet.
Obviously, this isn’t a permanent solution, but if you have this solution available to you, you should definitely use it.
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Pursue Worker’s Compensation
If your workplace injury is even remotely possibly in the realm of a worker’s compensation claim, you should pursue that avenue to give yourself a potential source of long-term income to help protect you and your family from bankruptcy.
Important in this process is securing the assistance of a lawyer from a firm like Walz Law Office to help you navigate the brutally complicated legal process involved in securing a worker’s compensation victory.
Claims have to be filed at just the right time in just the right way, and if you make even a small mistake, insurance companies are ready to pounce and deny your claim.
Working with an expert gives you a much higher probability of succeeding the first time around, upping the likelihood that you’ll be able to secure the money you deserve.
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Apply for Disability Benefits
If your injury has left you unable to provide for your family, either long-term or permanently, applying for the disability benefits you deserve is a wise use of your time and resources.
Since disability benefits are set up more as a safety net, they are typically easier to secure than a worker’s compensation claim, so you can gain access to crucial funds to help you make ends meet.
While you certainly won’t be living like a king off of disability benefits, you’ll quickly realize that simply being able to provide for the essentials is a gift in and of itself.
Don’t let pride get in the way of pursuing these benefits that could make a major difference in you and your family’s lives.
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Focus on You
With any workplace injury, the amount of paperwork, tests, and other legal processes you will be involved with can quickly become overwhelming.
If your injury is recoverable, letting yourself get lost in the stress of all you have to do will only slow down your recovery, and possibly lead to other problems down the road.
In the midst of all the chaos, then, make sure to focus on yourself, to allow yourself to heal mentally and emotionally in addition to healing physically.
This will allow you to focus more easily on all the necessary paperwork, without making any rash decisions that could end up costing you money.
