Car accidents are expensive. Not only do you have to pay to repair your vehicle, but you might also have injuries that rack up steep medical bills and prevent you from working during your recovery. 

So, can you recover lost wages after a car accident? The answer is generally yes, as long as you were not more than 50% responsible for the accident. Consult a lost wage recovery attorney in Connecticut for personalized advice about your case. 

What Expenses Can You Recover After a Car Accident? 

The expenses Connecticut workers can recover after an accident depend on the level of fault in the accident. Connecticut is a comparative negligence state, meaning anyone less than 51% responsible for the accident can seek compensation relative to their percentage of fault. For instance, if the insurance company finds you 20% at fault, you may seek 80% of the value of your claim. 

Through an insurance claim, you may seek compensation for the following:

• Medical expenses
• Physical damage to your vehicle
• Lost wages
• Loss of ability to work

The insurance company will calculate the economic expenses you incurred from the accident and determine a payout offer to cover these costs. In place of or adjunct to wage claims, you might consider filing a personal injury lawsuit with the assistance of a lost wage recovery attorney in Connecticut. 

If you’re more than 50% responsible for the accident, you won’t be able to seek compensation from the other driver. Instead, you can contact your insurance company to determine whether your collision coverage compensates lost wages and other expenses. 

Seeking Lost Wages Through an Insurance Claim

If you’re eligible for an insurance claim through the at-fault driver’s insurance policy, you must provide evidence of all the economic damages you incurred from the accident. To recover the wages you lost when you could not work, you’ll need to prove lost wages by supplying evidence that you would have made a certain amount if you weren’t injured. 

This evidence may include the following:

• Pay stubs from previous months vs. this month
• A copy of your schedule, signed by your employer
• A doctor’s note indicating you are/were unable to work while recovering from your injuries

You can send this evidence directly to the insurance company as part of the claim. You should also have the exact amount you hope to secure from the insurance company. This gives them a better idea of what the claim is worth and how serious you are about pursuing compensation for your losses. 

You can calculate your lost wages by determining your hourly pay rate after taxes and multiplying it by the number of hours you missed work. If you make a salary, just divide that by 52 to determine your weekly rate. 

Recovering Lost Wages Through a Lawsuit

You may decide to take legal action in addition to filing an insurance claim. For instance, perhaps the insurance company did not offer adequate compensation for lost wages and other expenses you incurred. Or maybe you want to seek further damages beyond the at-fault party’s coverage limits. 

A lost wage recovery attorney in Connecticut can help you calculate the compensation to seek through a lawsuit, which may include economic expenses like lost wages and non-economic damages such as pain and suffering. Then, they can file your lawsuit with the clerk of courts and guide you through the legal process. 

Do you need assistance recovering lost wages after a car accident? Call the Law Offices of James A. Welcome today at 203-753-7300 for a free consultation in Connecticut.