To many individuals, their career is one of the most important aspects of their lives. Their jobs keep them financially secure and many have long-term goals to continue growing in their careers for years to come. Sadly, a Texas auto wreck can put an individual’s career on the back burner and impact their future earning capacity.
Many injuries sustained in collisions can leave injury victims with months or years of healing left to do. Some victims may never recover completely. If this is the case for you, our Houston car accident attorney describes how being involved in an accident may impact your career—and how we may be able to help you recover.
Sacrificing Work Hours for Medical Treatment After a Texas Wreck
Although you may not have thought you were injured in the initial collision, that doesn’t mean you got out of the accident unscathed. Some injuries can have delayed symptoms that you don’t notice until much later.
Whiplash, for example, is a common type of neck injury that occurs when a person’s head is forcefully pulled back and then suddenly thrust forward. This injury may not be severe at first, but over time, it can become serious. To properly treat whiplash, you’ll need to take time out of your job to undergo physical therapy.
Impairment May Hinder Your Work Performance or Future Earning Capacity
Unfortunately, some car accidents are more severe than others and can cause permanent injuries. Sometimes, these injuries could result in an impairment that negatively impacts your (future) work performance.
This means that you might not be able to do the same job you did before the accident. For instance, if one of your tasks is to lift heavy objects and you sustained a back injury in the crash, then you might have you take off work until your recovery is complete. However, you may never be able to return to this type of work if the back injury causes a permanent disability.
The most severe injuries, such as traumatic brain injuries, may cause cognitive impairments. You may find it difficult to focus on a task or to understand what needs to be done. If the impairment is too severe, your employer could dismiss you, which cuts off your source of income.
What You Can Do About Lost Income
If you’ve been injured in a Texas car accident due to another person’s negligent actions, you deserve to be properly compensated. If you were put out of work or had to work a lower-paying job because of it, this financial loss should be included in your financial recovery, too. Your health is the top priority.