If you were forced to use accrued paid time off (PTO) to cover your absence, you likely still have a valid claim for lost income. The law generally views this as you using a valuable employment benefit to replace your lost wages. You are essentially losing the future use of those days. Document the number of PTO hours used. The value of those used hours can often be included in your claim for financial losses.

Involve a lawyer if there are severe injuries, significant long-term impacts, disputed liability, or a lowball settlement offer. Legal counsel is crucial if the adjuster is acting in bad faith, denying your claim without cause, or if multiple parties are involved. A lawyer handles all communication, values the claim accurately, and negotiates from a position of strength to protect your rights and secure fair compensation.

You may recover compensation for both economic and non-economic losses. Economic damages include clear financial costs like medical bills, lost wages from missing work, and costs for future care or therapy. Non-economic damages cover intangible harms like pain and suffering, emotional distress, and loss of enjoyment of life. In rare cases of extreme negligence, punitive damages may be awarded to punish the property owner.