I Was in an Accident. Who Pays for My Lost Wages?

When you’re in an accident and suffer injuries that cause you to miss work, you are likely to feel even more stress. If someone else caused that crash, though, they will be responsible for paying for your financial losses associated with the accident.

This includes compensation for your medical expenses to treat your injuries, the cost of vehicle replacement or repair, your pain and suffering, and your lost income. As the injury victim, you will first need to prove the other driver was negligent. You’ll have to show evidence of your financial losses. If that includes lost wages, you’ll want to show that too to get the compensation you deserve.

Types of Lost Wages You Can Recover After a Car Accident

After a car accident, you can seek compensation for the income you lost as a result of the injuries a negligent person caused you. You may even be able to request other portions of income beyond your income.

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Lost Income

Many injuries will make it hard for you to work and perform your job, both in the short-term and long-term. You can recover your lost wages or salary for the time that you are unable to work.

Paid Time Off

What many injury victims do not realize is that they can also be compensated for the use of any paid time off to excuse themselves from work after an accident. If you had to take sick days, vacation, or paid leave, you can request this in your settlement.

Reduced Earning Potential

Some car accidents leave victims with life-altering injuries. While you may be thankful to be alive, you may now be forced to take a lower-paying job or position. You may not even be able to work at all. In these circumstances, you should be compensated for the loss of this future earning potential.

Lost Financial Support

In the event that you have lost a loved one in an accident, you can file a wrongful death claim to recover the lost financial support they provided. You should receive compensation for the expected reasonable income that your loved one would have earned if they were still alive.

What to Know About Recovering Lost Wages After an Accident

It’s also important to know that the money you are owed due to lost wages will vary. It depends on how much you make and if there are any impacts on your future earning potential.

If you are unable to ever work again due to your injuries, then you should receive a sum of money that is equal to what you would have earned if the accident never occurred. However, if you broke your arm and are expected to make a full recovery after a few weeks, you would likely only recover the lost wages for the time you missed.

Making these determinations can get complex, especially when you have serious injuries that leave you with permanent effects. It will likely require testimony from expert witnesses to help make fair estimates of what you deserve for lost wages.

How a Personal Injury Attorney Can Help You Recover Lost Wages After an Accident

While you are not required to hire an attorney for a car accident case, you may find it more beneficial to work with one. A personal injury lawyer can negotiate a fair settlement for you outside of the courtroom. They can also prepare a strong case if they need to carry a lawsuit all the way through to trial, giving you a better chance of getting the maximum amount.