Serious injuries suffered in a car accident can disrupt your life and leave you unable to work for weeks, months, years, or a lifetime. If the car crash was not your fault, you might be able to recover compensation for lost income and other losses.
A knowledgeable car accident lawyer can evaluate your car accident injuries and help you understand your rights to pursue a lost-wages-due-to-car-accident claim. A personal injury attorney can demand compensation for your financial losses, including lost wages, future lost earnings, lost contracts, lost commissions, and bonuses. The law firm Younce, Vtipil, Baznik & Banks has a dedicated team of attorneys in Raleigh, North Carolina, who provide experienced legal representation and personal attention to each client we serve.
Contact our office today for a free consultation with a North Carolina car accident attorney. Our personal injury attorneys can deal with the insurance adjusters and develop your personal injury claim so that you can focus on healing from your injuries.
What Types of Lost Income Compensation Are Available in a North Carolina Car Accident Claim?
In a North Carolina personal injury claim, the victim is allowed to seek several types of compensatory damages. Compensatory damages are intended to compensate the injured person for the financial losses associated with their injury. This typically includes compensation for the accident victim’s medical expenses as well as for wages and income the person lost because he or she was unable to work due to the car accident.
A proper accounting of lost wages and income should include income you lost as a result of your injuries since the date of your accident. The loss of income must be the result of physical or psychological injuries documented in the medical records. The best way to prove that is with out of work notes from your doctor. If the doctor gives you a light duty note, and your employer cannot or will not accommodate those restrictions, a letter from your employer explaining that will be very helpful.
Unfortunately, North Carolina law has no provision for lost income due to the inconvenience of your vehicle being rendered undrivable by the accident. North Carolina law also has no provision for losing income while looking for a replacement car, going to the repair shop, dealing with the insurance adjuster, etc.
If your permanent disabilities make it impossible for you to return to your previous job and you must take a lower-paying job, you may seek compensation for the difference in pay and benefits between your former job and your current employment. This is known as damages for diminished earning capacity.
