Have You Been Injured? We're Ready to Fight for You.

Can I Go Back to Work After a Car Accident?

Published on Jun 15, 2018 at 1:02 pm in Car Accidents.

The Law Office of Mike Campbell has joined forces with Thomas Law Offices as of September 1st, 2020. Click here for details.

Going back to work sooner than you are ready can actually put you at a greater risk of re-injuring yourself or extending the time that it takes for your injury to heal.

The best tool for deciding when to return to work after a car accident is the treatment plan you receive from your doctor.  Your doctor will take into consideration your responsibilities at your job and will be able to determine when you are physically ready to handle them again.

In order for a personal injury claim to be successful, you need to have written medical documentation from your doctor that ties your injuries and symptoms to your car accident and shows a medical basis for your inability to immediately return to work.

Will Returning to Work Hurt My Case?

Many people believe that if you return to work you will hurt the outcome of your personal injury lawsuit.  But returning to work does not have to mean that you have recovered fully or that your injuries were not severe.  Sometimes you need to return to work because of the financial necessity to pay your bills.

Working before you are fully recovered can be dangerous though.  Devoting all of your energy to your job can cause other areas of your life to suffer, or can prevent your injury from ever fully healing.

Waiting the appropriate amount of time that your doctor recommends is always the best course of action for the outcome of your personal injury case. Plaintiffs are responsible for mitigating damages, meaning they have a duty to take all reasonable opportunities to keep the loss they suffer to a minimum.  Staying home from work simply because you have a pending case can make you look like an irresponsible and unreasonable plaintiff and can hurt the reward you receive.

Who Should I Contact After a Car Accident?

After a car accident, the top priority is your health.  Consulting a doctor about your injuries is always the first thing you should do.  Calling an attorney should be your next step.  A car accident lawyer can help with your financial recovery the same way your doctor can help with your physical recovery.

The legal team at Thomas Law Offices is dedicated to helping car accident victims rebuild their lives and return to normal.  Contact us today for a free, no-obligation consultation of your case.

Free Case Evaluation

At Thomas Law Offices, our personal injury attorneys recognize that our potential clients are likely going through some of the most difficult times of their lives. We don't want you to have to worry about paying out of pocket for legal advice when you're just starting to learn your legal rights and options. That's why we provide free case evaluations. We'll offer our expert advice about your potential case and walk you through how we can help you.

Call us or fill out the form below to tell us about your potential case and a personal injury lawyer will get back to you as quickly as possible.

Meet Our Founder

Tad Thomas - Trial Lawyer

Tad Thomas

Managing Partner

Tad Thomas has dedicated his practice to representing plaintiffs in various types of civil litigation, including personal injury, business litigation, class actions, and multi-district litigation.

After graduating with his law degree in 2000 from Salmon P. Chase College of Law at Northern Kentucky University, Mr. Thomas immediately opened his own private practice and began representing injury victims.

In 2011, Thomas Law Offices was established in Louisville, Kentucky. Over the past decade, Mr. Thomas has expanded his firm and now has offices in three additional locations: Cincinnati, Ohio, Columbia, Missouri, and Chicago, Illinois. He is also a frequent lecturer on topics like trial skills and ethics and technology.

Legal & Firm News

How To File a Life Care Centers of America Lawsuit

Finding the right nursing home, rehabilitation center, or assisted living facility for your loved one can involve weeks or months of research and visits. When you think you’ve found the right one, it can feel like a weight lifting off your shoulders. Not every nursing home is what it appears to be at first, though. […]

Read More

Nearly 2,000 Children Sexually Abused by Catholic Clergy in Illinois

Illinois Attorney General (AG) Kwame Raoul announced on May 23, 2023, that his office had completed an investigation that has identified at least 1,997 children abused by an estimated 451 male Catholic clergy during a 90-year period across six dioceses in our state. The multi-year investigation first got underway while the current Illinois AG’s predecessor […]

Read More

How Soon Should a Tetanus Shot Be Given After an Injury?

From motor vehicle accidents to slips and falls and other dangerous property scenarios, and defective product situations, these are only a few examples of personal injury incidents that can seriously hurt someone. While it may be intuitive to seek medical attention if you suspect you’ve suffered harm after one of these accidents, would you also […]

Read More
Tad Thomas on The National Crime Victim Bar Association
National Civil Justice Institute - Trustee
Tad Thomas on Lawyer Minds
Tad Thomas on American Association for Justice
Southern Trial Lawyers Association
Illinois Trial Lawyers Association
Ohio Association for Justice
Kentucky Justice Association
Fellows of the Litigation Counsel of America
Martindale Hubbell Preeminent
2021 Public Justice Member
AAJ Masters of Trial Law: Champion