If you have suffered from an accident and have been out of work due to it, you are, in fact, entitled to missed income, as well as funds for your medical bills. Whether you are an employed part-time, full-time, or self-employed worker, you can file a claim to recover your lost wages from an accident and/or missed opportunities for earning money.
However, you are also eligible for a cash reimbursement for:
– Bonuses
– Sick and vacation days
– Lost wages from missed work shifts
– Money from missed special projects, job interviews, business meetings, etc.
– Missed overtime opportunities
Is There a Way to Recover My Lost Wages?
To recover your lost wages, you have to prove two important things:
1. The amount of money you would have received if you hadn’t been injured.
2. You could not go to work due to your injuries.
However, proving that you missed workdays due to your injuries will require special income documentation. In addition, you’ll also require documentation of your injuries from a medical professional. If you work part or full-time, you’ll need to request a company letterhead from HR with:
– Your name and job position
– Your current pay rate
– The number of work hours you missed
Unfortunately, proving lost wages for self-employed workers is much more difficult than those employed as a full or part-time worker. However, whatever your situation is, you should gather up as much information you can, such as paystubs and tax records.
Who Can Reimburse Me For Lost Wages?
Since recovering lost wages from an accident can get complicated, depending on your situation, it’s best to consult a personal injury attorney to find out who’s liable for reimbursement.
How Can I Submit a Lost Wages Claim?
Generally, you have a few options to recover your lost wages following a car accident:
1. You can make a request to your insurance company
2. You can make a request to the other party’s driver’s insurance company, if they’re at fault
3. You can file a lawsuit against the other driver. However, we recommend that you wait until you’re in more stable condition before doing so.
Before submitting a claim for lost wages, you should have a full understanding of what is covered under your insurance policy. The amount that’s paid out to you depends on what kind of coverage you have:
– Uninsured or underinsured motorist coverage: If the driver at fault doesn’t have insurance or is underinsured, you can collect wages by your own uninsured or underinsured motorist coverage.
– Liability bodily injury coverage: If the other driver is at-fault, you can apply a claim for lost wages via the other driver’s liability bodily injury coverage.
– Personal injury protection coverage: No matter who’s at-fault, you can collect lost wages via your insurance company through your Personal Injury Protection, or PIP, coverage.
After you make a request to the insurance company, you will be required to:
– Undergo an independent medical exam
– Submit all relevant medical documents to the insurer
– Submit an employment authorization form which allows your employer to provide information to the insurance company about your employment
Make sure you read all of these forms very carefully as they allow the insurance company to gain access to your private medical and employment information.
Additionally, you will want to double check your claim before you submit it. You want to make sure that every statement about your lost wages is detailed and totally truthful. If your information is found to be false or incomplete, your lost wages claim could be denied.
How Can I Recover Lost Wages With an Attorney’s Help?
If you were unable to work after your car accident and lost wages because of it, consider hiring an experienced Los Angeles car accident attorney to handle your claim. They can help you to determine the best method of getting the money you deserve. Often times, the legal process is confusing and difficult to navigate. With the help of a trusted attorney who has experience dealing with cases of lost wages, you can be sure that your claim will be handled correctly.