If you get injured in a car accident, there’s certainly a chance that you will want to claim lost wages as part of the damages. Even missing a single day at work deserves compensation for the time you spent in the hospital or dealing with the aftermath of the accident. But many people are out of work for weeks or even months, and the lost wages are a very significant part of what they’re trying to replace.
This certainly does start with hourly wages or the money paid on a salary. You have a budget, you can’t make that budget work without your standard income – that you expected and planned for – and that has all been called into question due to the injuries. But remember that you may need to go beyond this and look for other types of lost wages, as well.
What are some examples?
One example is simply lost future earnings, such as if your ability to return to the workforce is in question or if you’re going to make less than you would have if you weren’t injured. Those injuries may hold you back permanently, and you can look into long-term financial losses. But even without this, other examples include:
- Wage increases that you expected, but that never happened.
- Lost commissions from sales that you weren’t able to make.
- Lost bonuses that you would’ve been given if you were at work.
- Lost opportunities for a promotion that may have given you a higher salary or hourly wage.
You really need to consider all of the ways in which that car accident is going to impact your life and your financial future. Then you need to know about the legal options at your disposal to seek the compensation you deserve.