What Happens When You Have a Career Ending Injury?

When most people think of career-ending injuries, they think of professional athletes. However, people in any industry and working at any level can suffer from an injury that ends their career. Most people use their brain and at least their arms and hands to do their work, and there is potential for these body parts to be severely injured. It is important to know what to do if something happens that ends your ability to work in your chosen profession.

Much of what happens after a serious injury will depend on the circumstances surrounding the incident. The location, nature, and severity of the injury will all affect the way you proceed.

Workers’ Compensation

If you get injured at work, you should receive workers’ compensation payments. These payments are meant to help you pay for your medical bills and sustain your family while you are out of work. However, workers’ compensation is not permanent. Even if your injury is permanent, most workers’ compensation payments will end eventually.

If you are unable to continue in your chosen career, workers’ compensation may help pay for vocational retraining. This can help you find and train for a new job that fits with your new ability level.

Personal Injury

In some instances, a career-ending injury does not happen at work. In these cases, it can be difficult to understand how to get the support that you need. Personal injury may be an option.

You could file a personal injury claim if someone else’s negligence led to your injury. Negligence occurs any time an individual fails to follow the law or the expectations set out for their position. For example, if a dog owner fails to put a dog on a leash, they are neglecting their duty to follow leash laws. If their dog harms someone, the victim can press charges against the dog owner for failing to obey the law.

If someone else caused your injury through negligence, you can file a personal injury claim. Settlements in these cases frequently help pay for missed work and medical bills. However, if the injury ended your career, you and your attorney can fight for vocational retraining funding as well.

Disability

If you are unable to work at all because of your injury, disability benefits will be necessary. In fact, many people use temporary disability benefits while they are healing from injuries of all kinds. However, if you have been permanently disabled by your injury, you may be able to get ongoing benefits through the state. The support that you receive will depend upon your situation, the severity of your injuries, and how incapacitated you are by them.

Hiring an Attorney

If you have been seriously injured, it is crucial that you hire an attorney to represent you. These cases may be common, but fighting them is difficult. Many people find it hard to get the financial support that they need without the help of an on-the-job injury attorney.

Few families can afford the cost of a serious injury without help. Even if you have medical insurance, the deductibles can leave your family in a place of financial insecurity. If you are unable to work, you may also lose your medical insurance, which puts you at risk for hundreds of thousands of dollars in medical bills.

Hiring an on-the-job injury attorney ensures that you have access to all the resources necessary for the healing process. Our experience in workers’ compensation, personal injury, and career-ending injuries means that you can relax knowing that you have an advocate who knows all your options and who will fight for you.

FAQs

Q: What Makes an Injury Career Ending?

A: A career-ending injury is any injury that prevents the victim from performing their job duties. The nature of these injuries varies from job to job. A torn ACL may be a career-ending injury for a football player, while an accountant may have to end their career because of severe carpal tunnel. In many instances, injuries that completely end a career are very severe, such as traumatic brain injuries, paralysis, amputation, etc.

Q: Can Injuries End Sports Careers?

A: Yes. Athletes use most every part of their bodies to do their jobs. If an athlete suffers an injury, they may never be able to recover the same ability in that area of their body. If they cannot reach the same level of expertise in their craft, they will likely have to end their professional sports career. Even if the injury heals, it can still have a long-term impact on the body part, making it difficult to play.

Q: What Is the Most Common Career-Ending Injury?

A: Anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injuries are by far the most common injuries that end careers. It is difficult to heal from these injuries, and it is even more difficult to recover full range of motion and capacity. Even outside of sports, many people need to be on their feet for work. ACL injuries may make that impossible, which can end careers of all kinds.

Q: How Do You Deal With Long-Term Injury?

A: Disability benefits, workers’ compensation, and personal injury settlements can all help you deal with the financial part of a long-term injury. Depending on the nature of your injury, you may be able to recover using physical therapy and rehabilitation. Mobility aids can help you deal with your changed ability because of a long-term injury in some cases. Unfortunately, in some situations, individuals simply must adjust to their new normal.

Contact Ayers, Whitlow & Dressler

For many years, our team has been representing individuals who suffer from injuries of all kinds. We understand how impactful an injury can be, as well as how much of a difference a benefit payment or settlement can make. A Charlotte work injury attorney is here to make sure that you get the financial and legal support that you need after an injury.

We have experience with workers’ compensation and personal injury cases. For more information about our firm and our services, please contact Ayers, Whitlow & Dressler online today.