What are Duties Under Duress?

Work and the burdens of life are sometimes a difficult process for anyone, but there are certain factors that make it that much more difficult to manage. If an individual has sustained an injury recently, due to an automobile accident or other circumstance, they may find normal tasks much more difficult to do. In the legal world, this is called duties under duress and refers to any obligatory activity that is much more difficult for an individual to carry out after sustaining injuries.

Work is the most common instance of a person experiencing duties under duress. This may be because an individual feels obligated to or is required to return to work even when he or she has not fully healed. In the long run, this may make the symptoms worse however as “working through pain” often puts more strain on one’s body than is necessary for recovery.

Duties under duress also include domestic and educational activities. Taking care of the children or doing work in or around the house is a labor in and of itself and can, therefore, be made much more difficult from sustained injuries. Even going to school or college can be difficult, as a lack of focus is a clear symptom of injuries like concussions.

What should you do if you are performing duties under duress? The first thing would be to inform your doctor and receive treatment before the problems grow worse. Secondly, you should inform your attorney as this is information that could be vital to winning financial compensation in a personal injury or worker’s comp case.

If you don’t currently have an attorney, we at the Franco Law Firm would be happy to serve you in that role. For more information and to schedule a free consultation today, please call us at (813) 872-0929.