Unfortunately, more often than not, individuals sustain serious injuries through no fault of their own. If you have been injured as a direct result of another person’s negligence you may be entitled to compensation. Following any type of accident, you may be burdened with expensive medical bills, property damage, vocational rehabilitation, household services, lost earning capacity, and most notably lost wages. In New York, when you are injured as a result of negligence, you are entitled to file a claim against a negligent party to seek monetary compensation for your damages. Sadly, severe injuries can hinder one’s critical abilities needed to fulfill the duties of their occupation. Keep reading to learn whether you can sue for lost wages in a personal injury claim and how a seasoned New York City Personal Injury Attorney can help you navigate your legal options.
How can I sue a negligent party for lost wages in a personal injury claim?
Essentially, lost wages refer to any income that you have not been able to obtain as a result of your injuries. Oftentimes, after severe injuries, individuals have to miss weeks or even months of work. This can result in a significant loss of income. Some injuries even result in permanent disability which diminishes an individual’s ability to perform the same job duties they performed before their injuries. If this is the case, you can sue for lost wages and lost earning capacity. However, before you can recover any type of monetary compensation for your losses, you must prove that your injuries prevented you from working. To prove that your injuries have prevented you from working, you must show evidence that corroborates the extent and severity of your injuries. To prove that your injuries have diminished your ability to work, you may show evidence of the following:
- Medical and/or hospital bills.
- Medical records that corroborate the origin, extent, and severity of your injuries.
- Statements from a doctor or therapist that attests to the physical and occupational limitations you’ve encountered due to your injuries.
- Statements from your employer that can verify the dates and shifts you’ve had to miss because of your injuries.
- Statements from loved ones that verify how your injuries have negatively affected your everyday life.
- Statements from any witnesses that observed the incident that caused your injuries.
Once you have demonstrated that your injuries have prevented you from working, you may be awarded monetary compensation for your lost wages. It is important to note that economic damages such as lost wages are easier to prove than non-economic damages. This is because economic damages are out-of-pocket expenses that are calculable while non-economic damages are subjective.
In the unfortunate event that you or someone you care about has been injured as a result of someone else’s negligence, please don’t hesitate to get in touch with one of our skilled and determined attorneys. Our firm is committed to helping our clients seek reasonable compensation for their devastating losses.
