Over 2 million people are injured every year in car crashes, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. Car crashes are caused by everything from drunk drivers, inattentive drivers, hazardous conditions, and overall driver negligence.
Sometimes injuries resulting from a car accident can be so devastating that they can physically prevent you from working, which could lead to both temporary and long-term financial loss for you and your family.
If your injuries were caused by the negligence or fault of another driver, you may be entitled to receive compensation for lost work income.
Here’s how to recover lost wages after an accident, and why you should seek legal representation that will be on your side to pursue compensation.
WHAT ARE LOST WAGES?
Lost wages refer to income that you specifically can’t earn due to your injuries. For example, if your accident caused you to have a knee injury that required surgery and three months of intensive physical therapy (causing you to miss work), then you might be entitled to three months of wages for all the days you missed.
Lost wages cover the period during which you don’t work, and they also cover lost earning capacity if you have a long-term disability that makes it impossible to work. Calculating future earning capacity is based on several factors, but if you have sufficient evidence that you suffered a severe injury that will influence your future income, then you can include this in your personal injury lawsuit.
WHAT YOU WILL NEED TO FILE A CLAIM
You will need to have supporting evidence to file a claim. If you are employed, then you will need to collect paystubs from the six months prior to your accident to prove the amount of your income. If you are self-employed, contact your accountant that you work with regularly to present evidence of your accounts from the six months prior to your accident.
You will also need evidence from your physician, which is typically a letter documenting your injuries.
Don’t let injuries from an accident ruin your financial future. To determine if legal action is in your best interest to pursue compensation for lost wages in Georgia, CLICK HERE to CONTACT US, or call at (404) 948-3571.
