Car accidents are often stressful and costly. If you’ve been hurt badly enough that you are unable to work, the financial and emotional consequences can multiply quickly. While recovering at home, you may start thinking about how to pay for your car repairs, medical treatment, and other expenses. You may also wonder whether you can file a claim for lost wages due to your injuries.

Thankfully, in most cases, you can claim lost wages after being involved in a car accident. In this post, an experienced car accident injury attorney explains what lost wages are, how you can claim them, and what factors may affect your case. 

What Are Lost Wages?

Lost wage compensation covers the income you didn’t earn while out of work because of an injury. For example, if you could not work for two months because of a broken arm, you could qualify to receive the equivalent of your normal income during that time. 

Lost wages can also apply to future income you might have made. For example, if you cannot return to work in your previous position, you may qualify to seek funds for your lost future earnings. You might also include earnings you would miss out on in future promotions, bonuses, and other financial perks.  

How Do I Calculate Lost Wages?

The calculations for past lost wages are fairly simple. You multiply your hourly wages by the number of hours you missed because of your injury. If you work on salary, you would calculate the percentage of yearly income you missed. 

Because future earnings calculations require an estimated projection of potential income, they can be a bit more complicated. You and your car accident injury attorney may rely on various financial models and the input of accounting experts. 

How Do I Prove Lost Wages?

When attempting to recover lost past wages in car accident cases, it all comes down to what you can prove. Evidence may include the following:

• Pay stubs showing your salary or hourly wage
• Tax returns showing a decrease in income
• Employment documents indicating the number of workdays missed
• A letter from your employer confirming relevant details: how many days you missed from your injury, your pay rate, etc. 
• Documentation from your doctor describing your injuries, how they prevented you from working, your recovery process, and when you can return to work

Claiming lost future earnings after a car crash involves additional factors, including the following:

• Whether your disability is temporary, permanent, partial, and the extent of the disability
• Whether you can return to a similar position at the same salary after you recover
• The estimated dollar amount of lost career opportunities, including pay raises, bonuses, or retirement contributions
• Your age, employment history, and whether your position or field required specialized training

Can Disability Benefits Help?

In some cases, you may qualify for Social Security disability benefits for long-term injuries suffered in a car crash. Typically, your physical or psychological conditions must have prevented you from working and have lasted (or be expected to last) for at least a year. It can be challenging to qualify for disability. It can be helpful to consult an attorney before filing for benefits, to make sure you’re following the protocol to your advantage.

If your injury is not as severe, you may want to discuss the availability of short-term disability benefits with your employer. An experienced car accident injury attorney can help you understand your disability options and apply for benefits. 

Need Help After a Connecticut Car Accident? Contact the Law Offices of James A. Welcome

A fair car accident settlement can help you pay your medical bills and compensate for lost income after an injury. If you have any questions about seeking compensation, call the Law Offices of James A. Welcome at (475) 241-0824.