You may be able to seek and secure compensation for your lost wages, diminished earning capacity, and disability benefits if you could not work because of your injuries or cannot return to your previous job. Our accident attorney in Richmond, Kentucky may be able to help you identify and document these and other recoverable losses.
If your employer fired you because you were undergoing treatment and missed work, you may have a case against them. You have rights under the Kentucky Civil Rights Act. You may want to work with our attorney to better understand your options here, as well.
What if my company terminated me because of my injuries?
Many types of injuries could cause you to miss a significant time away from work, and your company may need to replace you. It is important to note, though, that under certain circumstances, your employer cannot fire you for suffering an injury.
If you believe you may have been wrongfully terminated, an employment law firm can review your case and explain your rights.
The Kentucky Civil Rights Act
The Kentucky Civil Rights Act, Ky. Rev. Stat. Ann. Chapter 344, prevents employers from firing workers solely because they must undergo treatment or miss work because of a medical concern. While Kentucky is an at-will employment state, and most workers can be fired without reason, injured workers have additional rights under the Kentucky Civil Rights Act.
Federal law
You also have up to 12 weeks off unpaid through the federal Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) if you or an immediate family member suffers a serious injury.
What if my accident injuries prevent me from working long-term or ever returning?
After a personal injury accident caused by someone else’s negligence, Kentucky law allows the injured worker to seek damages.
The best way to learn if you have a claim for compensation is to speak with a Richmond, KY, injury law firm about your legal options. An attorney can analyze the circumstances of your injuries and how your condition affected your employment.
Some types of accidents that could cause you to lose your job due to injuries include:
Injuries that could prevent you from returning to your previous job because of a diminished ability to work include:
- Traumatic brain injuries (TBIs)
- Spinal cord injuries
- Loss of a limb or loss of the use of a limb
- Chronic pain conditions
Recovering money for your costs and losses is possible by:
- Filing a claim with the at-fault party’s appropriate insurance company
- Suing them in civil court and presenting the case to the judge and jury at trial
In either option, a personal injury lawyer can represent you and seek an appropriate payout for them based on their losses. This may require documenting your time away from work, the loss of their job, and your limitations that prevent you from finding other work with similar pay immediately.
In addition to recovering money for medical care, pain and suffering, and other losses, the damages could include:
- Missed paychecks
- Lost benefits
- Other types of lost income
- Loss of the ability to work and earn at the same level as before
How can I prove my case and secure a financial recovery?
You will need to have evidence of negligence, liability, and the harm you suffered to secure monetary damages. If you choose to work with a Richmond, KY, personal injury lawyer with our firm, they will manage the investigation and evidence-gathering process for you.
Evidence in these cases commonly include:
- The incident police report
- Eyewitness statements
- Your testimony about what happened
- Photos and video of the incident
- Documentation of your injuries
- Your relevant medical records
- Your employment records
- Proof of missed wages, commissions, and other pay
You will need to develop a case to convince the insurance company of its policyholder’s negligence and that an appropriate payout is warranted. Insurance companies benefit from believing all injured people are liars. Insurance companies are looking for an excuse to not pay your medical bills and the money you are owed.
The insurance company will delay their investigation and deny your claim in the hope that injured Kentuckians will become hopeless and go away without exercising their rights under Kentucky law. This can be difficult unless you are familiar with how these cases and the claims process work. Strong evidence is essential to recovering fair compensation.
Do I need an attorney to help me seek damages?
There is no law or requirement that you must have legal representation to pursue an insurance claim or sue the liable party in Kentucky. The fact of the matter is that insurance companies will offer to pay you $1,500 for a claim worth $50,000 in the hope that the injured person will accept the small amount and sign a release rather than seek the professional help they need in order to make an informed decision.
Still, it can help you to enlist an injury law firm that practices personal injury exclusively to represent your best interests. The right accident attorney who handles insurance claims every day can:
- Investigate what happened and provide support for your claim
- Put an appropriate value on the case and negotiate for a settlement
- Review your medical treatment to make sure every injury is treated by the right professional
- Manage all conversations with the insurer and liable party
- Fight for the money you need to cover your losses
- Sue the at-fault party on your behalf if necessary
- Represent you in court
- Protect your rights
We are a personal injury firm in Richmond, KY, and we work based on contingency fees. This means our clients do not pay anything unless we reach a settlement or receive a verdict on their behalf. You can learn more today by speaking with our injury professionals for free today. We provide complimentary consultations.
Under Ky. Rev. Stat. Ann. § 413.125 or Ky. Rev. Stat. Ann. § 304.39-230, depending on how your injuries occurred, you may have a limited time to file suit in your injury accident.
Let the Morrin Law Office review your case today for free
At the Morrin Law Office in Richmond, KY, our injury professionals represent injured workers for whom we can add significant value. We can discuss your injuries with you today for free to determine whether or not it makes sense to hire an injury lawyer in your situation. Call (859) 358-0300 to get started right away.
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