Car accident injuries in Pennsylvania can dramatically impact your life, family, and work. When they prevent you from being able to work it’s not just about the missed shifts right after; it’s the ripple effect, the “what ifs” that stretch out into the future.
In Pennsylvania, if someone else’s mistake caused that accident, you shouldn’t have to shoulder the burden of lost income. Maybe you can’t handle the same hours anymore, or perhaps you’re forced to take a job that pays less. Or, in the worst case possible, you are unable to work at all.
No matter your situation, these losses can add up and affect your financial stability, and should be factored into your Pennsylvania car accident claim. Understanding your rights can make all the difference in securing your financial future after a serious accident.
How Lost Wages Are Calculated
To make sure you get the compensation you’re entitled to for those lost wages, you’ll need to show that your injury directly caused this loss. This means gathering evidence like medical records, pay stubs, and statements from your employer that clearly show how much you typically earn and how much you’ve missed because of the injury.
Understanding Past Lost Wages
Calculating past lost wages is usually pretty simple. If you have a regular hourly or salaried income, the focus is on the number of days or hours you missed at work. But it’s not just your regular salary we’re looking at. If you normally make overtime, commissions, or bonuses, those need to be factored in, too.
So, to back up your claim, you’ll want to have things like timecards, pay stubs, and tax returns handy to show what you were earning before the injury.
Future Lost Wages and Lost Earning Capacity: What Does It Really Mean?
When it comes to future lost wages and lost earning capacity, things get a little more complicated. If your injury leaves you unable to do the same job in the future, or if you’re now stuck in a lower-paying role, calculating this loss requires a deeper look at your life and career.
Here, you may need the help of financial experts who can assess how much you might earn in the future, considering things like your age, job experience, and career path.
The Impact of Career Changes on Your Finances
For example, if you previously worked in a physically demanding job and earned $42,000 annually, but now you’re only able to perform desk work paying $23,000, the difference in wages over the years could significantly make a difference in your claim.
Lost Opportunities for Career Growth
Sometimes, it’s not just about the money you’re earning today. Injuries can prevent you from getting promotions or raises you would’ve received if you had been able to work at full capacity. If your injury affects your ability to advance in your career or continue building your skills, that can have a big impact on your long-term financial security.
Lost opportunities like this should be part of your claim, too.
Why You Might Need an Expert
Figuring out exactly how much future income you’ll miss out on isn’t always easy, especially if your injury is making it hard to move up in your career. That’s where expert testimony comes in. A financial expert can help paint a clearer picture by looking at things like your industry, your expected career growth, and how much you might have earned had the injury not occurred.
Their insights are essential in ensuring your lost earning capacity is properly valued so you can get the compensation you deserve.
Proving Your Loss of Income Was Because of Your Injuries
To start, you have to figure out the money you’ve lost from not being able to work, but it isn’t just showing your missed checks; is way more than that. You’ll need to demonstrate that your injuries directly impacted your ability to earn money—and that someone else’s negligence caused those injuries.
Here’s what you’ll need:
- Medical Records: You’ll need your medical records, an official diagnosis and doctor’s notes confirming that your injuries wouldn’t let you do your job for a specific period of time.
- Employer Statements: A letter from your employer saying, “This person works here, this is their job, this is how much they make, and this is how much they lost.” You should back this up with pay stubs and tax returns.
- Accident Reports & Witness Testimony: Everything that you can gather from the accident scene: photos and videos, police reports, and witness statements. Anything that can prove what happened.
- Expert Testimony: If your injuries mean you’ll never work the same way again, you might need someone who can explain the financial impact. A financial expert, someone who can map out the future, the lost raises, the missed promotions, all of it.
It’s crucial to keep every detail you can to be able to build a strong case. Without it, your insurance company may try to downplay your losses or deny your claim altogether.
What If I’m Self Employed?
If you’re self-employed or an independent contractor, this process may be a little more complicated. Unlike traditional employees who have pay stubs and employer verification, you’ll need to use different types of documentation to show how much earnings you’ve lost. You’ll have to find another way to prove to the insurance company how your income depended on the work you did and how the accident is impeding you from it. Here’s a list of some documents you’ll need:
- Pay Stubs: If you were employed at the time of the accident, your pay stubs are a very important piece of evidence. These show your regular earnings, including hourly wages, overtime, and any bonuses or commissions. They act as a snapshot of your income before the accident and can help track the wages you’ve lost while you’re unable to work.
- Tax Returns: Your past tax filings, including 1099 forms and income tax returns, provide a clear picture of your earnings before the accident.
- Invoices and Contracts: Any agreements, invoices, or work that was canceled or delayed due to your injuries can serve as proof of lost income.
- Business Records: Financial statements, profit and loss reports, and bank statements showing a drop in earnings after your accident.
- Client Communications: Emails or written confirmations from clients explaining postponed or canceled projects due to your inability to work.
Since self-employed income can vary from month to month, calculating lost wages often requires averaging past earnings. For some, it might be necessary to get help from a financial expert to estimate lost earning capacity, especially if the accident affected long-term business growth or career opportunities.
The key is to gather as much documentation as possible—whether it’s tax records, invoices, bank deposits, or client correspondence—to build a strong case and increase the possibility of getting the compensation you deserve.
What Happens if You Lose Your Job Because of The Accident?
It can be scary, not only going trough a terrible event like a a car accident, but also having to deal with the uncertainty of not knowing how you’re going to support yourself or your family if this accident leads you to loose your job. Well, in this case, you might be entitled to additional compensation to help make up for your financial losses.
Some potential forms of compensation include:
- Severance Pay – If your injuries prevent you from returning to work and your employer lets you go, you might receive a severance package. While this can provide some short-term financial relief, it likely won’t cover all of your lost income. Depending on the terms of your severance agreement, it could factor into your overall compensation claim.
- Unemployment Benefits – If you are unable to work due to your injuries, you may qualify for unemployment benefits. However, these benefits typically only cover a portion of your usual earnings and are meant to be temporary. While they can help in the short term, they are not a replacement for a claim seeking full compensation for lost income.
- Vocational Rehabilitation – If your injuries make it impossible to return to your previous job, you may be entitled to job training or career counseling to help you find new employment. Vocational rehabilitation programs can provide the skills and support needed to transition into a different role. If your injury significantly reduces your future earning potential, these services—and the costs associated with them—should be included in your claim.
Losing your job because of an accident can be overwhelming, but you may have legal options to recover compensation and protect your financial future.
Contact Our Pennsylvania Car Accident Lawyers Today
At Wilk Law Personal Injury & Car Accident Lawyers, we know how overwhelming it can be when an accident leaves you unable to work and struggling to make ends meet. Losing income after a car accident in Pennsylvania can put a serious strain on you and your family, but you don’t have to go through this alone.
Our team is here to guide you through the legal process, fighting to recover the compensation you deserve for lost wages, medical bills, and other damages.
We believe in providing compassionate, client-focused representation, making sure you feel heard and supported every step of the way. At Wilk Law Personal Injury & Car Accident Lawyers, you’re not just another case—you’re a person who deserves justice.
If you’ve been injured in an accident, reach out to us today for a free consultation. Let’s discuss how we can help you get back on your feet.