How Can I Prove Lost Wages Relating to a Personal Injury from an Auto Accident in Tennessee?
Being injured is a stressful event that can disrupt your daily routine, and when it happens due to someone else’s negligence, it can be even more infuriating. If you have been in an accident that has caused you physical harm, taking time off work is inevitable. In most cases, lost wages caused by personal injury are compensable. This article will provide you with guidance on how to demonstrate the losses you have incurred due to an accident.
Determining Lost Wages
The first and most crucial step towards proving lost wages is to demonstrate that your income was derived entirely from your job. If you are self-employed, this means providing evidence of what you would have earned if you had continued to work. If you were an employee, pay stubs or bank statements will be used to show past employment earnings. With this information, you can show what you have lost during the time taken to recover from your injuries. Do not forget to include fringe benefits like vacation and sick pay.
Documenting Your Recovery
After determining your total losses you must document every stage of your recovery process, including: medical visits; therapy sessions; and any diagnostic tests that you were required to undertake. Proving that you were unable to work is not enough. You have to show that it may have required some degree of care to help you recover better. This could include medical bills or transportation receipts which show that you were traveling frequently to get medical attention.
Using a Medical Assessment
If you were advised by your doctor to take time off work, make sure you have documentation shows this. For instance, your employer may have provided you with a letter requiring you to take some days off as you recuperate from your injury. You should also provide documents that demonstrate for how long you will be unable to work going forward. This is usually done by medical professionals who assess your ability to return to work fully.
Calculating Lost Wages After Returning to Work
If you return to work after your injury, it is important to keep your salary documents and compare them over time to your pre-injury earnings to show your lost wages. Demonstrating that the lost wages affected your financial stability can also show that the accident has taken a lifetime toll on you.
Contact a Tennessee Personal Injury Attorney
If you believe you are entitled to compensation for lost wages due to personal injury, it is crucial to document every stage of the recovery process that shows the impact of the injury on your employment. Showing that there was a direct and undeniable connection between the accident and the losses incurred is a prerequisite for any successful lawsuit. Proving lost wages can be an involved process, but it is worth pursuing compensation that may help alleviate some of the resulting financial burdens. By following these guidelines, you can increase your success rate when presenting your claim of lost wages.
At Cotter Law, we are committed to helping our clients recover the compensation they deserve and providing the highest quality legal representation. Contact us today at 865-888-7155 to schedule a free consultation and learn how we can help you.
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