After suffering injuries in a Summerville, SC, car accident, you may be able to recover compensation for any income you lost due to your injuries’ impact on your ability to work. In addition to lost wages, you may also incur accident-related expenses such as medical bills and vehicle repairs. An experienced Summerville lost wages lawyer can help you seek compensation for your lost wages and medical bills by gathering evidence and calculating their extent. They can also negotiate for a fair settlement that covers them.
Contact Murphy Crantford Meehan for a free consultation with one of our Summerville car accident lawyers to learn more about how we can help you seek the lost wages and compensation you need and deserve. During your initial consultation, we’ll review your case, explain your options for recovery, and answer any questions you have about the legal process.
When seeking compensation for the income you lost because of your car accident injuries, it’s important to consider both the income you lost in the past and the income you will lose in the future. Failing to consider both sides can result in you not recovering the full compensation you deserve for your injuries.
In many cases, lost wages refer to the income you lost during your recovery period. For example, if you were out of work for four weeks and returned to work at full capacity, you could seek four weeks’ worth of lost wage compensation through your auto insurance claim or personal injury lawsuit.
However, many car accident victims suffer long-term or even permanent injuries that impact their ability to work in the future. In some cases, victims can return to work in a lessened capacity and make less money than they did pre-injury. And in other cases, victims are completely unable to return to the workforce because of their injuries. In addition to financial losses, many car accident victims endure significant physical pain, which can further impact their ability to work and their overall quality of life.
In either of these cases, you can seek compensation for your loss of future earning capacity in addition to compensation for the wages you already lost. However, working with an experienced injury attorney who can accurately calculate your loss of future earnings is essential. The last thing you want is to leave any money you deserve on the table.
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To prove that you’re owed lost wage compensation and the extent of that compensation, the more evidence you can present, the better. Some of the most common types of evidence used when seeking lost wage compensation include:
These documents can provide proof of your pre-injury and post-injury income disparity. However, showing a change in income alone may not be enough to prove that you deserve compensation.
Your medical records are valuable pieces of evidence that detail the extent of your injuries, the treatments you underwent to recover from them, and any work restrictions you have. When combined with lost wage documentation, your attorney can build a strong case that your injuries led to your lost income. These records and expenses are also essential for securing medical benefits through workers' compensation.
A letter from your employer that confirms your employment status, hourly or salaried pay rate, and the amount of work you missed can be crucial for your case.
Any time you miss work because of an injury, you should document it. Write down the date of the car accident that caused your injuries, the last date you worked before the accident, and the date you returned to work after the accident.
Independent contractors and self-employed individuals may often need additional proof of lost income because they don’t receive hourly or salaried pay. Providing evidence of business contracts that your injuries prevented you from fulfilling can show that you lost income due to the accident.
The way you calculate your lost wages after a Summerville car accident depends on how you’re paid. Under South Carolina law, you can claim lost wages by:
Working with a lost wages attorney in Summerville is essential. They can correctly calculate your lost wages, especially if you are self-employed or an independent contractor. And it’s important to remember that these calculations use your pre-tax wages. An experienced workers’ compensation attorney can provide invaluable assistance in accurately calculating your lost wages and ensuring you receive the compensation you deserve.
Let’s say you got in a car accident at the intersection of North Main Street and 5th Street in Summerville. Whether your lost wages are due to a car accident or a workplace injury, the first step is to consult an experienced car accident lawyer. Your lost wages lawyer in Summerville will be able to help you with the following:
Your lawyer will gather evidence of your lost wages, injuries, and the connection between them and the at-fault driver’s actions. This evidence could include traffic camera footage, eyewitness statements, expert testimony, medical records, and wage statements. This evidence is important for all types of injuries, including repetitive stress injuries, which may not be immediately apparent but can significantly impact your ability to work.
Your lawyer will help calculate your lost wages and other damages. And, if your injuries are long-term or permanent, your loss of future earning capacity. The more your injuries impact your ability to work, the more complicated your lost wage calculations will typically be.
Your lawyer will enter settlement negotiations with the at-fault driver’s auto insurance provider. They will seek a fair settlement that covers all of your losses, including your lost wages. Insurance companies often try to offer lowball settlements in the hopes that you won’t know your case’s true worth. Having a personal injury lawyer on your side can protect you from accepting a settlement that’s not in your best interest.
If the insurance company refuses to offer a fair settlement, your lawyer will take your case to trial and seek maximum compensation for your injuries and lost wages. Contact us today to seek compensation for medical expenses, lost wages, and pain and suffering.
If you were injured in a Summerville, SC, car accident and lost income as a result, call Murphy Crantford Meehan for help from an experienced Summerville workers’ compensation lawyer. Alternatively, you can contact us online for a free consultation with an experienced car accident lawyer. Our firm is dedicated to assisting Summerville residents. Let our law firm work to recover fair compensation for your lost wages and guide you through the legal process. Our experience can give you the compensation you deserve.
Below, you’ll find questions car accident victims who are seeking compensation for lost wages often ask:
Yes. Even if you are self-employed or an independent contractor, you can recover lost wages after a car accident in South Carolina. However, it can be difficult to calculate your lost wages, especially if your injuries impact your ability to work long-term or permanently.
You must provide evidence for all the income you lost due to your injuries. Such evidence may include business contracts, missed appointments, and a comparison between your typical income and your post-injury income. Working with an experienced Summerville lost wages attorney is the best way to make sure your lost income calculations are accurate. They can also obtain all the evidence you need.
If your injuries lead to a long-term inability to work, you can seek compensation for future lost wages. It’s essential that you work with a lawyer. They can assess the value of your future wages, including expected bonuses, raises, overtime pay, and work benefits you will lose because of your injuries.
If you had irregular or fluctuating income before the accident, you can still seek compensation for your lost wages. To calculate your lost wages, you must first determine your average weekly wage for the past year. You can do so by adding up your income and dividing it by 52. You can then use this averaged amount in the rest of your wage loss calculations.
Your wage loss compensation in Summerville, SC, will be based on your pre-tax income. However, you generally will not have to pay taxes on it.
According to the Internal Revenue Code, “Gross income does not include the amount of any damages (other than punitive damages) received on account of personal physical injuries.” The IRS further states, “The entire amount received by an individual in settlement of a suit for personal injuries sustained in an accident, including the portion of the amount allocable to the claim for lost wages, is excluded from the individual’s gross income.”
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