You get in an accident during your morning commute. You planned to be at work that day, but it’s a very serious accident. It is causing more trouble than just getting your car towed. You have to go to the hospital and get medical treatment. You also have to spend time talking to the police, contacting your insurance agent, etc.
Or, perhaps you’re so severely injured that you have to spend extended time in hospital. You’re not just going to miss work that one day. You are actually going to miss an extended amount of time at your job, and you’re worried about how you’re going to make ends meet without that income. Can you recover the wages that you have lost because of the accident?
Was the accident totally or primarily your fault?
It is possible to seek lost wages after a car accident if it was caused by another’s negligence, recklessness or intentionally dangerous conduct. The key is just to prove that there is a direct link. The other party caused the car accident. That car accident caused you to be injured. The injuries that you suffered meant you could not go in to work and get paid. Therefore, the party that caused the accident is the one who is liable for those lost wages.
Spelling a situation out this way makes it seem very simple, but it can get complicated. What if they claim that you didn’t suffer any injuries in the car accident, but you must have been injured later? What if they say that you were injured before you even got in the accident, so there’s no direct link between the crash and your lost wages?
As a result, it’s very important to seek legal guidance proactively, as doing so can help to better ensure that you receive the compensation to which you are rightfully entitled.