Car accidents have the potential to overwhelm your life. It is difficult to regain your physical and mental health while dealing with the financial stress caused by time away from work.
If you were injured in a Texas car accident through no fault of your own, you may qualify to recover for lost wages due to your injuries. Texas has legal options for victims of personal injury accidents.
The following article outlines the role of lost wages in a Texas car accident claim and how to prove and recover lost wages as a car accident victim. For specific advice and to start your Texas car accident claim, contact an experienced personal injury lawyer in Dallas today.
What are Lost Wages in a Texas Car Accident Claim?
Lost wages are income an accident victim is unable to earn due to their accident-related injuries. Lost wages include a variety of income types in addition to a person’s base pay.
For instance, if an accident victim loses regularly scheduled overtime, sick days or vacation days, or commissions as a result of their injuries, these would be considered as lost wages.
Who Can Pursue Lost Wages After a Texas Car Accident?
Victims of personal injury accidents who are injured as a result of someone else’s negligence may be eligible to pursue lost wages. Car accidents, truck accidents, and other motor vehicle accidents are common kinds of personal injury accidents.
Texas follows the modified comparative negligence system. This allows victims of personal injury accidents to pursue monetary damages even when they are partially responsible for their accident.
However, people more than 50% to blame for their accident may not sue the other party for their injuries.
Proving Lost Wages After a Texas Car Accident
To prove lost wages, a car accident victim must provide documentation to show that it was medically necessary for them to take time off of work following the crash. A doctor’s statement can be used to validate any accident-related injuries and their impact on a person’s ability to work.
A doctor can also note any restrictions and necessary accommodations once a person is cleared to return to work. In addition to a doctor’s statement, an accident victim will need proof of missed work.
Acceptable documentation to confirm time off of work may include:
- Pay stubs;
- A letter from an employer;
- A statement from human resources;
- W-2s and tax returns; and
- Time sheets.
Self-employed accident victims may present the following as proof of income:
- Tax returns;
- 1099-MISC forms; and
- Profit and loss statements.
It is wise to provide as much information as possible to prove lost wages. Insurance companies will only reimburse documentable income.
Contact an Experienced Texas Car Accident Attorney Today
Learn more about how to recover lost wages after a Texas car accident by speaking with an experienced attorney at Mathias Raphael PLLC Accident & Injury Lawyers today. We will take the time to listen to your situation and offer you honest advice about your legal options.
There are no out-of-pocket fees at Mathias Raphael PLLC Accident & Injury Lawyers. We handle all of our cases on a contingency basis. This means we only get paid when we win compensation for you!