There is one truth about life, and that is that it can come at you fast. You can be leaving home for work with your entire day planned for yourself and your family, and without you having a say in the matter, your day can change abruptly and dramatically. Imagine working in the same office for over ten years and one day trip on the snarled carpet leading into your office. You call so hard that you end up in the hospital needing a knee replacement. Or, imagine getting on the local city bus that you’ve ridden for years and have the bus driver inadvertently close the door on your leg, causing a gash so severe that doctors are talking about amputation.
Although not life-ending, these injuries are unfortunate, gruesome, and, in addition to changing your day, these injuries can change the trajectory of your life. In either of these situations, serious injuries can create additional health problems and serious financial hardship for families. If you find yourself in a situation where you are seriously injured, some finance tips to know are outlined below.
The Telephone Number of a Good Attorney.
It doesn’t matter how well you are initially treated when you’ve been seriously injured; it is not wise to take the word of the party responsible for the injury or their lawyer. To protect yourself and your family, hiring a New York personal injury attorney will greatly benefit you. There are some personal injury attorneys who not only offer a free consultation they also don’t charge interest on your case expenses. Additionally, they complete all insurance and DMV forms, arrange medical treatment if you don’t have health insurance, and, best of all, they won’t take a fee unless you win your case. Their financial help makes it easier for you to hire an attorney to help with your injuries. You want to hire someone who understands how your injuries are affecting your finances at the moment.
Let Your Creditors Know That You Have Been Injured.
If you are not getting paid from your job because you cannot work due to severe injuries, you may quickly drain any financial savings that you may have accumulated. In that case, it is vital to contact your creditors and let them know that you are injured, have a personal injury claim pending, and will make good faith attempts at payments while you wait for a financial settlement. That can include your mortgage payment, car payments, utilities, and credit cards. Some creditors may threaten to shut off your services, making it necessary to have your lawyer’s office make contact with those creditors to explain the status of your case. However, many companies are willing to work with customers who stay in touch and make good faith attempts.
Keep Track of all Medical Bills, Receipts, Statements, and Letters.
Regardless of whether you have health insurance or not, it will be essential for you to keep track of your medical expenses, including those paid by insurance. This documentation may be necessary when working with insurance companies and lawyers for financial reimbursement. The documents to keep track of include:
A list of symptoms and why you sought treatment, with dates.
Agreements that you sign with doctors, caregivers, and hospitals.
A log of conversations with doctors and caregivers.
All insurance documents.
All doctor or treatment bills, invoices, and statements.
Any letters that your doctor gives you.
A record of prescriptions and medications.
Any notes or letters to your job about the treatment plan.
Hospital discharge paperwork.
Talk to Your Employer’s HR Department.
Speaking with someone who is trained in advising staff about time off and benefits, will help you make decisions regarding your finances. As an injured employee with a personal injury claim, your HR department can advise whether you should use paid time off, vacation leave, short or long-term disability, or if you will receive no payment at all for your time off. Your HR department will also advise on your health insurance benefits for injuries and your injuries claim.
Conclusion
If you have been seriously injured and need some tips on your finances during that period, the above guide will help you make financial decisions.