The fix is neither quick nor easy after husband's work injury keeps him from working

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Q.: My husband and I are in our early 50s. A few years ago, my husband was seriously hurt on the job. He was self-employed, so it's not like he could claim workers' compensation, but the accident was due to negligence, and we have now filed a lawsuit. He has not been able to return to work, and I've had to cut my job from full time to part time to help him through this. He is now slowly able to get back into the workforce, but, unfortunately, our finances have suffered.

How are we ever going to get out of this? We're not sure what to do. — Reader, via email

A.: It sounds to me like you have answered your own question. You are working on getting your lives back on track. You're going to have to pick away at your obligations. If there is merit to your lawsuit and you win the case, it's very possible the award could provide enough money to retire all of your obligations. The troublesome part of that equation is that litigation of this kind can stretch over a period of not months, but years.

I wish you well. You have been dealt a difficult hand, but you are playing it well.