Getting into a car accident is a traumatic experience. Not only do you have to worry about your physical injuries, it could also put a dent in your financial situation. In many cases, people who have been injured in an accident would have to miss work for a particular amount of time. This makes them unable to earn the wage they earned previously and could make life incredibly difficult.

Lost wages for car accidents are meant to cover money the victim would have normally earned from work had they not gotten injured in the accident. If, for example, you were involved in an accident and had to miss work for 3 months. If you have lost wages coverage through your or the other party’s insurance, you would be compensated for 3 months worth of wages. This income may include the following:

  • Lost wages for missed work time.
  • Loss of earning capacity if the injuries suffered could cause a long-term disability.
  • Lost opportunities. Meaning the lost chance of going out and interviewing for jobs because of the injury.

There are a few systems in place to protect people who have been involved in serious crashes,  including:

Workers’ Compensation

If you were working when you were involved in an accident, you may potentially qualify for workers’ compensation benefits. This is regardless of what insurance coverage you or the other driver might have. If you end up being qualified, you will receive about 75% of your lost income while you tend to your injuries.

The Other Driver’s Insurance

In Connecticut, lost wages because of an accident fall under the bodily injury liability coverage. The states mandates a minimum of $25,000 of coverage if there was only one person injured from the accident, and $50,000 if it was two or more persons hurt in a single accident.

The first thing this coverage would be used on is medical care and whatever is left can be used to cover lost income. If the medical care expenses end up exceeding or using up the full coverage, there won’t be any additional benefits for lost wages.

Existing Insurance Coverage

Most insurance companies offer additional coverage for their policies at a higher rate. If you’ve purchased a supplemental disability insurance policy, you may be compensated by your own insurance company for your lost wages because of the accident.

In the case that you do not have additional coverage, you could file an underinsured claim with your insurance company to claim compensation. This helps out but in rare cases where all the requirements are met.

Steps To Claim Lost Income From A Car Accident

Collect Evidence

The more evidence you are able to produce, the better chances you have of winning your case. You need to be able to prove that the damage you suffered was directly caused by the car accident. Most likely, medical records, documents, expert opinions, and more would be used by your attorney in your defense.

Identify All Insurance Policies That Cover Your Lost Income

Connecticut is a “fault” state. Meaning the driver that was at fault would be responsible for both their damages and the damages sustained by the victim. Typically, your insurance policy might include additional coverage that would help cover the damages. These policies include: Personal Injury Protection and Uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage.

Calculate Your Lost Wages

Calculating your lost wages is an essential part of your case. When you work with an experienced car accident attorney, you wouldn’t have to worry about calculating your lost wages. Your attorney would gather all the necessary information for your case including damages, injuries, disabilities, and the loss of earning capacity.

Contact an Experienced Personal Injury Attorney

Going through a car accident case while juggling between doctors’ appointments and meetings with insurance adjusters is an incredibly heavy burden to handle. If you work with an experienced attorney, they would do all the heavy lifting in your place and would highly increase your chances of winning the case. Additionally, having a lawyer by your side would discourage insurance companies from offering you a low, unfair compensation.