How to Get Reimbursed for Lost Wages from a Car Accident with Injury

Jan 13, 2020

deceptive tactics insurance companies use: they know you need money

How You Can Get Paid While You Get Better

Other than physically recovering, one of the most urgent concerns for Colorado Springs workers who can’t return to work after a car accident is receiving lost wages from a car accident with injury.

The days and weeks spent off the job is also the time that Colorado Springs accident victims see medical expenses pile up on top of all the other bills they need to take care of – paycheck or no paycheck. Fortunately, with the help of an experienced Colorado Springs car accident attorney, injury victims can recover the wages they’ve lost as well as any future earnings that they will be out because of the accident.

Your Damages Include Lost Wages From a Car Accident With Injury

Car accident claims and lawsuits in Colorado that involve an injury all have one thing in common: the injured person wants compensation from the negligent driver for all the losses they experienced because of the accident.

Losses can fall into several different categories because the consequences of a car accident can affect a victim in many ways. Losses can include property damage and replacement, medical and rehabilitation expenses, pain and suffering, and long-term losses such as diminished quality of life.

But making it through the days, weeks, and months after a car accident without being able to earn a living makes receiving lost wages from a car accident with injury a top priority. If your injuries from the car accident are so severe that you may never fully regain the earning capacity you had before the accident, then aggressively pursuing compensation for losses is even more important to maximize the amount you recover for your claim.

Proving Lost Wages

To recover any damages after a car accident injury, you need to prove (or convince the other driver’s insurance company) that:

The other driver was responsible for the accident, especially if it was a DUI accident with injuries;
Your injuries are the result of the accident; and
Because of your injury, you suffered losses, including lost wages and/or diminished future earning capacity.

In Colorado, you will also need evidence to support the dollar amount of lost wages you claim the other driver owes you. For Colorado Springs employees who earn a regular wage or salary from their employer, calculating the base amount of wages lost because of your injury can be a relatively simple proposition.

Your employer will have documentation that will show your pay rate, typical days and hours worked or amounts earned, and the total amount of time you’ve missed because of your injuries.

If you would have received a bonus, commissions, overtime pay, or other compensation but for your injuries, you can add that to your injury claim as well. The same goes for the value of any sick or vacation days you lost.

The key point is every dollar that you don’t earn, no matter what form it takes is part of your claim for lost wages from a car accident with injury.

If you are self-employed or work primarily as an independent contractor, you deserve the same compensation for lost earnings as someone earning a salary or regular wage. It just may take more effort to prove the amount the negligent driver owes you for your lost income.

Your car accident lawyer can help you put together documentation such as tax returns, bank statements, calendars reflecting tasks, jobs, and appointments, and other evidence showing how much you likely would have earned but for the accident and your injuries.

Loss of Future Earnings

When you make a claim with the other driver’s insurance company or file a car accident lawsuit seeking reimbursement for lost wages from a car accident with injury, you may not yet know the full extent of your losses. In addition to the time and earnings you’ve already lost because of the accident, your injuries may also affect your ability to earn a living going forward.

After a serious car accident injury in Colorado Springs, many workers can’t return to the jobs they had before the accident. For local citizens with catastrophic injuries like traumatic brain injuries or spinal cord injuries, they may never again be able to work at all. This also means that they won’t receive the raises, promotions, bonuses, and other elements of career advancement they were on track to earn before the accident.

The loss of future earning capacity is, therefore, part of a car accident injury lawsuit damages claim. Since such damages relate to events and earnings yet to happen – and which will likely never happen – proving the amount of future income lost because of the car accident injury requires more than just pay stubs and tax records.

Economic and occupational experts may testify about the extent and duration of the limitations on your abilities and how they impact your earning capacity. Others may testify about the company you work for or the industry you work in, offering opinions about your likely career and income trajectory.

If You’re Out of Work Because of a Car Accident Injury, Get a Car Accident Injury Attorney to Work For You

You deserve every dollar that you don’t earn because of another driver’s negligence. But recovering the maximum amount of compensation for your losses, including lost wages from a car accident with injury, is no easy task. An experienced Colorado Springs car accident attorney can give you the best chance of recovering all the wages you lost and will lose because of your injuries.

The law firm of King & Beaty specializes in personal injury lawsuits in Colorado Springs. Contact us to schedule your free personal injury consultation in Colorado Springs to determine if you have a case.