Car accidents happen to millions of people every year and vary in the damage they cause. Unfortunately, people like you may end up with spinal problems and be unable to walk for the rest of their lives. And if you have a boss who is trying to fire you or who fails to make accommodations for you, your civil rights are being impinged and you need to protect yourself.

Paralysis Will Affect Your Life In Many Ways

If you suffered from paralysis in a car accident, you are not alone. Nearly 13,000 people suffer from this injury every year and are often paralyzed for life. In fact, nearly 5.5 million people are living with paralysis, a problem that causes serious financial problems. Thankfully, you have a job that you can do even if you are paralyzed from the waist down.

However, your boss is now trying to claim that she has no choice but to let you go. His or her reasons for letting go of you are vague but mostly come down to the fact that you are disabled. Unless your job absolutely requires you to walk (such as if you are a loader in a storeroom or other physically-oriented careers), he or she cannot fire you simply because you are disabled. Doing so would be a violation of your civil rights, especially if he or she tries to pull this on you after your car accident.

Accommodations Must Be Made For Your Needs

Your boss not only can't fire you just because you are disabled but must also make changes to the workplace to suit your needs. These changes are known as "reasonable accommodations" and are required by law when somebody hires someone who is paralyzed or has an employee who becomes paralyzed. These changes include installing ramps, modifying the restroom, and providing other changes that meet your needs.

That said, your boss may try to claim that these accommodations are not reasonable or are beyond their scope. For example, they might try to argue – in a civil rights lawsuit – that installing ramps for you is too expensive for their budget. They may also try to claim that you were fired for reasons unrelated to your recent accident, in spite of the fact that you were doing well before that and no aspect of your performance changed after.

In this scenario, you need a high-quality civil rights lawyer who is willing to fight for your needs. Thankfully, the legal world is filled with dedicated professionals who will do what it takes to ensure that you don't lose your job and that your civil rights are fully protected. Contact a law firm like Jacobs & Barbone P A for more information.