Returning to Work After Collecting Disability Insurance

Millions of workers are injured every year, to the point where the emergent disability becomes too much to handle on the job.  Often, these injuries are actually the result of negligent management or a dangerous workplace, though worker compensation claims that involve a temporary or permanent disability can be notoriously difficult to prove and collect upon, much less to recover and get back to work.

For starters, filing a disability claim is complicated enough to very often require the services of an attorney.  In many big cities such as Chicago or Atlanta disability claims are represented almost exclusively by attorneys that specialize in disability law.

However, winning a disability claim is not the end of things.  Not only do you want to get back to work, but so does everyone else.  Though it may be impossible to ever do the same job again, you may find your disability claim will be more than happy to pay for your retraining to do another job in an effort to end the regular disability payments.  

When one finally reaches what is (sometimes inaccurately) called “maximum medical improvement,” the disability claim is no longer valid and it's time to go back to work, though this can present nearly as much of a problem as the disability itself.

Regardless, it can be almost impossible to convince employers to give you a chance after disability-causing injuries force you from a job, especially if the period of disability or convalescence is quite long.  In such cases, one may very well end up having to settle for a lower wage job with less responsibility while you prove to a new employer what sort of wonderful person you are.

Of course, there are always people who simply are not going to believe how profoundly injured you were when filing the claim, especially if you have attained maximum medical improvement over a temporary disability.  In the case of temporary injuries it is almost always best to file a claim immediately and begin preparing for your return to work as a normal contributing member of society.

Many cities and states now have laws on the books that protect returning workers from discrimination.  In Georgia, for instance, it is illegal to not only comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) but claims of further disability-related discrimination are handled by the Georgia State Insurance  as well as

However, in some situations, it can still be impossible to continue in the same job, even in another position in the same company can be found to accompany temporary and permanent disability.  Either way, as someone with a disability, the burden of proof is yours and our laywer's.

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