Steps to Prove Lost Income and Decreased Earning Potential

Injured and can’t work like before? You’re likely missing out on the income you’d usually earn. After an accident, whether at work or elsewhere, a lawyer can help determine how much money you’ve lost from not working and how much you could potentially lose in the future due to your injuries.

Lost wages refer to the income you’ve already missed out on, while future earning potential addresses how your injury might prevent you from working as you did before. You deserve compensation for both.

If you’re uncertain where to begin, the attorneys at Abels & Annes, P.C., can guide you through the process. They’ll assist you in understanding how to prove your lost wages and reduced earning capacity, ensuring you receive the compensation you deserve.

How to Prove Your Lost Wages and Reduced Earning Capacity

To ensure you receive appropriate compensation for your lost wages, you need to provide solid proof of the income you’ve lost due to the injury.

Here’s a detailed overview of what you need to do and the type of evidence you should gather.

Gather Your Pay Records

Start by collecting any pay records you have from before the injury. This includes pay stubs, W-2 forms, or any other official document that shows your earnings.

The aim is to show what your regular income looked like before the injury, so the insurance company or court has a reference point for your lost wages. These records will provide a clear picture of your weekly, monthly, or yearly earnings.

Document the Time You Missed Work

You’ll also need to keep a record of the exact dates and hours you couldn’t work due to the injury. This is crucial because you’ll need to show how long the injury kept you from your job. Keep a detailed log of these missed workdays, whether it was for a few days, weeks, or months. The more accurate you are, the better, so be sure to include the specific hours you missed, not just the days.

Obtain a Doctor’s Note

A doctor’s note can significantly help confirm that your injury prevented you from working. The note should detail what your injury is, how it impacted your ability to perform your job, and how long you were unable to work because of it.

This note serves as professional validation of your claim that your injury directly affected your ability to earn an income.

Calculate Your Lost Wages

With your pay records and the number of missed work hours, you’ll need to calculate how much money you’ve lost due to the injury.

You can do this by multiplying your hourly wage by the hours missed or using your regular salary to compute the lost income for each workday you missed.

If the injury lasted for an extended period, you should calculate this loss over the span of weeks, months, or however long it took for you to return to work.

Present Your Tax Returns

Tax returns are another key piece of evidence to support your claim. They show how much you were earning before the injury and can highlight any differences between your income before and after the injury.

These documents provide a financial overview of your overall earnings and can offer additional proof of the financial impact the injury had on your life.