Suffering an injury as a result of somebody’s negligence often necessitates medical treatment which requires time and financial resources. That can be hard enough. However, things can be ever harder when the injuries sustained require innocent victims to miss work. The missed time from work can vary from days to months or even years. In some cases of severe injuries, the injured party can never return to performing the work duties he or she performed prior to the injury. When this happens, can the money lost from missed work be recovered as a part of a personal injury settlement? Keep reading to learn what top Personal Injury Attorney in Chicago, Brent Eames, says about the issue of lost wages in personal injury cases.
No matter how short or long the time missed from work, lost wages associated with it can and should be claimed as part of the damages in the personal injury case filed against the negligent party.
As part of the wage loss claim, the injured party can ask to be reimbursed for past and future lost wages, vacation, and sick days used to get treatment, and in some serious instances, compensation can be obtained for the loss of future earning capacity. In order to prove the amount of income lost due to the injury, the insurance company representing the negligent party will most likely ask for documentation to prove the amount claimed. For example, pay stubs, income tax records, or electronic deposit statements can all be submitted as evidence to corroborate the amount of the income lost due to the accident. The more evidence that is provided, the harder it will be for the insurance company to dispute the wage loss claim.
It is also worth mentioning that the claim can be made for wages lost due to the accident even if the claimant did not necessarily suffer serious bodily injuries. Wages can be lost when the property that is essential to generating the profits is damaged in an accident caused by the negligence of another party. For example, if the person is employed as a Taxi driver or a driver for Uber or Lyft, and his or her vehicle gets damaged in a car accident caused by another party, such person will not be able to generate any income until his or her vehicle is fixed. Similarly, if one operates a semi-truck and it is not drivable due to the damage sustained in the collision resulting from the fault of another, then the wage loss claim can also be filed with an insurance carrier of the culpable party.
Overall, it does not matter if the injured party is employed full-time or part-time, is working for a company, or is self-employed. It should also not matter if the wage loss is due to medical treatment or loss of income generating property. As long as the injured party can establish a loss of income, compensation shall be obtained.
The Eames Law Group is an experienced law firm that guides people who have suffered serious personal injuries. They help residents of Illinois gain their lives back after accidents, by managing medical bills and financial setbacks. Brent Eames has been recognized as one of the best personal injury lawyers in Chicago who will help people obtain the appropriate compensation and medical assistance after suffering an injury. For more information, contact us to meet with the Eames Law Group and learn about the legal services they offer.
