Is Filing a Wage Loss Claim Recommended If I Missed Work Due to a Car Accident?

Every year, about 3 million Americans sustain injuries in car accidents. They miss an average of 11 days of work because of these injuries, and some people miss significantly more time than that. If you’re ever in this position, you may find that car accident injuries can cause more than just pain, as they can also cripple your finances.

A car accident lawyer can help you manage this situation. Car accident victims can often file wage loss claims with insurance companies. This smart legal strategy may allow you to generate income while recovering from injuries.

Discover more about how to file a wage loss claim.

What Are Wage Losses, and Who Can Claim Them?

A wage loss refers to a period when you’re unable to work and miss out on making money because of it. If you suffer car accident injuries like concussions, broken bones, or even spinal cord injuries, you might not be physically or mentally prepared to return to work right away. This difficult predicament can lead to lost wages and make car accident injuries even more devastating.

Fortunately, many people who sustain serious car accident injuries can claim wage losses. You can file a wage loss claim as long as:

• You have a letter, or medical record,  from a doctor detailing your car accident injuries and the medical attention you sought and indicated you were unable to perform your job functions as a result of your injuries.
• You have a letter from your employer revealing how much time you’ve missed at work since sustaining car accident injuries.
• You have pay stubs to prove your income to insurance companies.

Documenting everything after a car accident is the key to filing a successful wage loss claim. Save all your paperwork from medical treatments and take notes throughout your recovery process to increase your chances of collecting lost wages.

How Are Wage Losses Calculated?

When you file a wage loss claim, you must know how to calculate wage losses. Thankfully, this should be very easy, provided you know how much you make per hour through your employer.

Simply take your hourly rate and multiply it by the number of hours you typically work in a week. If, for example, you make $20 per hour and work 40 hours per week, your lost wages for each missed week of work would be about $800.

How Can You File a Wage Loss Claim?

Filing a wage loss claim isn’t that difficult, but you should seek assistance from auto accident attorneys in your area to make the claims process even easier. From there, you can take these steps to file a wage loss claim:

1. If you believe you were at fault for the crash that injured you, begin by filing a wage loss claim through your auto insurance company.
2. If you feel another driver was at fault for your crash, you should attempt to file a wage loss claim through their auto insurance company.
3. Talk to a car accident lawyer about filing a lawsuit against another driver if each of these auto insurance companies denies your wage loss claims.

A lawyer with experience handling car accident cases can make filing a wage loss claim simpler. They can also talk to you about other options if your wage loss claims are denied.

Reach Out to Us To Discuss a Wage Loss Claim With a Car Accident Lawyer

If you’re starting to miss days at work because of car accident injuries and paying the price for it, Fadduol, Cluff, Hardy & Conaway, P.C. can help. Our auto accident attorneys understand the wage loss claim process. We can also handle other cases, like wrongful death cases.

Call us today at 800-433-2408 to schedule a free consultation with a car accident lawyer.