Collecting Compensation for Lost Wages After a Car Accident
Damages awards are divided into two categories: economic damages and non-economic damages, with the former referring to accident-related costs that are easy to quantify, such as medical expenses and property damage. The latter, on the other hand, refers to costs that are more difficult to calculate, like pain and suffering and emotional distress. Lost wages, which are usually calculated from the day of an accident are also considered economic damages, and as such, can be collected by plaintiffs who are able to successfully demonstrate that another person’s negligence caused or contributed to their car accident.
Being unable to return to work after an accident can place added stress on a family that is already struggling to cope with the pain caused by the injured party’s accident and to pay off mounting medical debt. Fortunately, those who are injured in accidents caused by someone else’s negligent or reckless conduct could be eligible to recover damages compensating them not only for these medical costs, but also for any lost wages or benefits. For help recovering the wages that you were unable to collect after an accident, please contact our experienced car accident legal team today.
Seeking Relief
Car accident-related injuries can affect a person for the rest of his or her life, requiring them to seek constant medical care, or making it impossible for the injured party to work. Unfortunately, insurance settlement offers are usually not high enough to cover the expenses that go along with missing work for a severe accident, in which case, the injured party may need to file a claim in court seeking a damages award compensating them for economic damages, including lost wages.
Calculating Lost Wages
When it comes to recovering wages lost as a result of an accident, how much a person could receive depends on a number of factors, including:
- How much work the person missed;
- The person’s ability to return to work at the time of the suit;
- Whether the person suffered any loss in earning capacity;
- Any lost benefits; and
- Any lost wages covered by a person’s insurer.
Florida courts are also often willing to award damages compensating a person for lost earning capacity, so accident victims who were not in the labor force at the time of the accident, or who provide unpaid work for a family member can still recover damages for lost earnings.
Whether an injured party is attempting to settle the matter with an at-fault party’s insurer, or is litigating the issue of lost wages in court, providing detailed and accurate information related to lost wages is absolutely necessary. Any missing or inaccurate information will cast doubt on an injured party’s entire claim, as courts will only award lost wages damages if the amount lost can be shown with reasonable certainty.
Call a Dedicated Car Accident Attorney Today
To speak with an experienced Fort Lauderdale auto accident lawyer about recovering damages after your own collision, please call a member of the dedicated Boone & Davis legal team at 954-566-9919 today.
Resource:
leg.state.fl.us/statutes/index.cfm?App_mode=Display_Statute&URL=0700-0799/0768/Sections/0768.81.html
https://www.booneanddavislaw.com/car-accidents-caused-by-adverse-weather-conditions/
