Seeking Compensation for Lost Income and Lost Wages
Injuries sustained from car accidents, motorcycle accidents and slip and falls usually require you to take time off work to recover and get back on your feet. Unfortunately, while you’re unable to work and earn your income, the monthly bills and expenses keep coming. Not to mention the medical bills that will quickly begin piling up…
The financial toll of lost income following an injury can be devastating. But, the good news is that when you have been injured by the negligence of another person or business, you have the right to be reimbursed for your lost income.
What counts as lost income?
Lost income, or wages, is the money you would have earned from the time of the accident to the date of the settlement. It includes all wages, benefits, and perks that are included in your “total compensation package,” including:
- Your regularly hourly wage or salary
- Lost overtime pay
- Sick days that you had to use while recovering from your injury
- Vacation days lost while recovering from your injuries
- Bonuses, commissions and pay raises you may have earned if you had not been injured and away from work
- Retirement fund contribution
- Other perks, such as the value of health and life insurance, stock or stock options, profit-sharing plans and gas/transportation allowances
When it comes to personal injury claims, the state of Alabama and most other states say that you are entitled to the income you lost if you were forced to miss work due to your injuries.
How to prove your lost income
In order to demand full compensation for your lost income, you will need to provide adequate proof. Insurance adjusters are sticklers and will not approve lost income reimbursement for time off work that is not medically necessary and directly related to your injuries sustained from the accident. Here is the proof you will likely need to provide in your personal injury case:
- Doctor’s narrative. First and foremost, before you take time off from work, have your physical injuries confirmed by a doctor. You will need a doctor’s note or disability slip, which contains recommended time to take off work due to your injuries. This is the best piece of evidence to prove your need to be out of work. The more detailed, the better!
- Paystubs or other wage documents. The easiest way to prove lost income is to submit your most recent pay stubs. You can also submit W-2(s) or your tax return from the previous. If you are self-employed, you can submit your tax return from last year or any documents, such as invoices or correspondence, to prove the amount of money you would have earned during the period of your recovery.
- Letter from your employer. You will also need to submit a letter from your employer to confirm important details to support your claim, such as the days you were absent, your pay level, the number of hours you work for each pay period, any overtime you worked in the weeks or months before the injury, any special projects you were working on that may have resulted in extra compensation, a potential promotion, lost commission, vacation or sick days you used while recovering, and any other benefits you lost.
Being in an accident and becoming a personal injury victim is a scenario that most people do not prepare for. You should not have to suffer financially because of someone else’s negligence! While there are some instances when you may be able to handle your personal injury case on your own, hiring a personal injury attorney is typically the better decision. Personal injury cases can become quite technical, especially if multiple parties are involved and your injuries are severe.
Call Mark Petro of Petro Accident and Injury Attorneys to demand full compensation for lost income
Call Petro Accident and Injury Attorneys today for a free consultation about your case. We make the process easy! As you rest and recover, we will handle all the details of your claim. When it comes to your personal injury case and settlement, you don’t get a do-over and the stakes for failing can be substantial.
Mark Petro has built a reputation of being the go-to guy to get personal injury claims like this handled in a manner that maximizes the amount of recovery so that you get what you deserve sooner rather than later. You have nothing to lose and everything to gain by calling our personal injury law firms in Alabama. Call Mark and let us fight for you!
Request a FREE copy of Mark’s book, The Truth About Injury Claims here.
