Fewer than half of motor vehicle accident injury victims reported full recovery twelve months later in a longitudinal cohort study. Many of those still healing returned to work anyway, pushed by financial need or the desire to maintain their normal lives. Insurance companies often seize on those early returns as evidence that injuries were not serious or had resolved, even when the person is still experiencing significant pain and limitations.
At The Law Offices of Sean M. Cleary, we represent car accident victims in establishing all injuries and limitations, helping to ensure that compensation is not lost as a result of premature return to work.
Most People Return to Work Before Fully Recovering
A systematic review found that among people injured in road traffic crashes, approximately 70% had returned to work in 1 month, 67% in 3 months, 76% in 6 months, and 83% in 12 months after injury. These statistics do not mean that the victims achieved full recovery. Most of them went back to work gradually or with health limitations, cutting back on work hours or pushing through the pain in order to meet their financial obligations.
Insurance adjusters often point to early return to work as the very reason for reducing claim values, assuming it means the injury wasn't serious. What it usually means is that the person couldn't afford to stay home longer, feared losing their job, or felt pressured to get back to their routine before they were ready.
How Early Return to Work Can Affect Your Claim
According to research, chronic pain is more common among people involved in compensation systems, as is recovery, including the ability to return to full work capacity. If you return to work before you have documented your symptoms, your medical records may be inaccurate. Insurers can use the time between injury and returning to work to claim you are fully recovered.
You must have documentation that you returned to work with restrictions, that you continue to have symptoms that affect your ability to work, and that you require ongoing medical treatment even though you are working.
Protecting Your Rights with The Law Offices of Sean M. Cleary
We want to make sure that the financial pressure to return to work doesn't cost car accident victims the compensation they deserve for injuries that are still ongoing.
At The Law Offices of Sean M. Cleary, we document work restrictions, persisting symptoms, and incomplete recovery to prove that returning to work isn't the same as being fully recovered.
If you went back to work after a car accident but you're still in pain or have other limitations, call our Miami office for a free consultation and evaluation of your case. We can negotiate with the insurance company and protect your right to full compensation.