Filing an injury claim allows you to receive compensation from the party that is at fault for your injury. This compensation could be to cover expenses related to your injury such as medical bills, and if your injuries have affected your ability to work, the damages may include your lost wages.
When you are injured, you may miss days or weeks of work to recover. In some cases, your injury could affect your ability to ever return to work. Either way, you are entitled to recover those lost wages and future lost earning power. Even if you have a job that provides sick days or paid leave such as vacation or personal days that you can use, you are still entitled to the value of that lost time that you would likely have used in a different way or may be compensated for not using.
Though you might not know how long you’ll be out of work after an accident, it’s important to take action quickly. The longer you wait, the more difficult it can be to make your case. Evidence disappears. Your memory of the events starts to fade.
As soon as you’re medically stable, you should contact a personal injury attorney to discuss your situation and learn about your options. They’ll be able to explain your options and the general process. The more serious your injuries are, the more complex the situation can be.
Lost Wages And Lost Earning Capacity
In some cases, injuries require a short amount of recovery time. In other cases, injuries can be severe enough that they may cause long-lasting effects that could permanently impact your ability to work. Even if you’re able to continue to work your current job, you may do so with restrictions that may prevent you from achieving future advancement or promotions.
For these situations, you may be entitled to a recovery for your lost earning capacity. This is typically a much more substantial amount of money because that impairment can affect you for the rest of your life.
To make a lost wage claim, you will need to provide proper documentation, including letters from your employer and potentially your doctors. You may also need to provide proof of your past wages. If you are suffering from lost earning capacity, you may also need documentation from other economic, employability, and rehabilitation experts. While this sounds simple enough, responsible parties and their insurance companies have their own legal teams working to discredit your claims and pay you as little as possible.
Personal Injury Lawyer in Ohio
You need someone who is working in your best interests. A personal injury attorney does just that. If you’re in need of a personal injury attorney in the Hamilton, Ohio area, we are here for you. The Richards Firm was founded to make the legal system more accessible to those who have suffered from injury or wrongful death.
Contact us today to schedule a free consultation and learn more about your lost wages options.