A car accident has the potential to impact your life in many ways, including your ability to earn a living in the future. And depending on the severity of the accident, it’s possible that you’ll find yourself out of work for an extended period of time (or even permanently).
While you have the legal right to submit a lost wages claim, keep in mind that your success is tied largely to your ability to provide supporting documentation. This can include but is not necessarily limited to the following:
- Wage documentation: In short, you’ll want to collect pay stubs and other documentation, such as tax returns, that outlines your income. This will show how much money you were earning before the accident.
- Notes from your medical team: It goes without saying that you should only take time away from work if your doctor suggests doing so. You should obtain at least one note from a doctor stating your injuries, treatment, prognosis and how much time you need to take away from work.
- Information from your employer: Ask your employer, typically someone in the human resources department, to write a letter that outlines the days you missed from work, your pay grade and your hourly rate or salary. This backs up your wage documentation.
When you take the right steps to prove lost wages, you position yourself to receive compensation for this type of damage that often results from a motor vehicle accident.
While the information above is a good start, it’s not always enough. That’s why you should have a clear idea of how to submit a claim for lost wages, how to calculate what you should receive, common challenges and what you can do to protect your legal rights.