In order to receive compensation for things like lost wages after a car accident, you must demonstrate your right to receive these benefits.
If you have been injured in a car accident due to another person’s negligence, you are generally entitled to compensation. However, in order to receive compensation for things like lost wages, you must demonstrate your right to receive these benefits. To do so, you need to gather vital evidence to prove your case. Here’s a closer look at the evidence you need to support your claim for lost wages.
Evidence to Prove Lost Income
1. Medical Records
The insurance company will use your medical records and reports from a doctor or a physician to establish your inability to work due to your injuries.
What’s more, early medical records will help prove the severity of your injuries and how they’ve developed over time. This includes medical bills, over–the–counter medications, and diagnostic images such as M.R.I. and X-rays.
2. Financial Documents
You’ll likely stop going to work following a car accident injury. As such, the period you spend off work will translate to lost monetary value. Therefore, in your claim, you need to prove that your injuries stopped you from working and show how much financial loss you incurred during that period. For that reason, you’ll generally need documents such as:
- Payroll records to show the amount you received as wages
- Check stubs showing a change in income
- W-2 forms from the last tax year
- Letter from your employer
Additionally, you have the right to seek compensation for future loss of earnings and missed work opportunities.
What if I am self-employed?
If you are self-employed, you need to prove how much work-time you have lost since you got injured. To do so, you need to present documents such as your business invoice, email printouts, and electronic messages to show appointments you had to cancel or were unable to attend.
How Can an Attorney Help Your Case?
When proving lost income in an injury case, we highly recommend having an experienced St. Louis car accident attorney by your side. An attorney can assist you in understanding where to request medical records and any other information needed to build your case.
Additionally, can negotiate a settlement agreement that accounts for all lost wages that were a result of the accident.