There’s a lot of uncertainty involved with a personal injury claim. From the start, you may panic about how you’ll pay your medical bills, if you’ll lose your job, and if you have any way of recovering your financial losses from the accident.

These types of concerns often leave victims feeling like they need to get back to work before they are truly ready. However, doing so may have a negative impact on your claim. Learn more about how this works, and for more personalized advice, call Mann & Potter at 205-879-9661.

Following Your Doctor’s Guidance

It’s important to reach out to a doctor and seek medical care as soon as possible after an accident. Many injuries aren’t visible without diagnostic screening, and any delay in treatment can lead to a less positive outcome. However, it’s not just about getting medical care—it’s also important to follow your doctor’s directions when you start healing.

Remember that any medical documentation you receive during this process will be available to the other party if your case goes to court. This means that failing to follow your doctor’s directions could actually hurt your claim. If your doctor orders you to spend six weeks away from work and you go back to work after three weeks, that could hurt your claim. The other party might suggest that you returning to work early is proof that you aren’t taking your healing process seriously and that you are trying to drag out the healing process as much as possible.

How Your Claim is Affected

As you may have guessed, going back to work too soon can be devastating for your claim. As an accident victim, your number one priority has to be healing and getting back to normal. Doing things to sabotage your healing—such as going back to work before you’re ready—shows that you are not focused on making a full recovery. The other party may then claim that you are intentionally drawing out the healing process to try to get more money from them. This can actually keep you from recovering any compensation if they are successful in these claims.

Avoid Minimizing Your Injuries

This doesn’t mean that you cannot return to work before your claim is settled, of course. If you are truly physically ready to return to work and you have medical clearance to do so, you can do so without worrying about the effect on your claim.

But you should avoid forcing yourself back to work before you’re ready just to bring in a paycheck. We understand how frightening it can be not to know how you’ll be able to pay your bills but returning to work too soon is not the way to go. This can severely hinder your healing process and actually impact your ability to work long-term. Allowing yourself to heal fully before you get back to work is one of the best ways to protect your career and your physical health.

How to Protect Your Personal Injury Claim

Working with a personal injury attorney is the best way to protect your claim and fight for fair and full compensation. You have a lot working against you when you go up against an insurance company, and you need a skilled, aggressive attorney to fight for your best interests.

The insurance company has a vested interest in denying you fair compensation, so they’ll use anything they can—including you returning to work too early. When you work with an attorney, you can avoid these pitfalls, gather the evidence needed for a strong claim, and fight for the compensation you deserve.

Reach Out to Mann & Potter for Help with Your Case

A personal injury can affect your life in so many ways, and it is hard to know how your life will change long-term. However, getting the compensation you deserve can definitely make a difference and help your path to healing. To discuss your case in greater detail and make a plan moving forward, set up a time to talk with the team at Mann & Potter. Call us at 205-879-9661 or reach out to us online to schedule a consultation.