Recovering Lost Wages When You Are Hurt in a Florida Car Crash

When you suffer injuries in a car wreck, your paramount concern is getting well and making yourself physically whole again. But sooner or later you will have to face the effects of being unable to make a living while you are recuperating. If you are unable to work for several months after sustaining injuries in a Florida traffic accident, can you recover your lost wages from the driver who was at fault?

In most cases, yes. But because auto liability insurance is often inadequate to cover all your losses, it helps to have the assistance of a seasoned Florida car accident attorney experienced in helping clients recover compensation for lost income.

If injuries you sustained in a car crash prevent you from performing the job you worked at when the accident occurred, you might be able to recover your lost wages as part of your total economic damages in a personal injury lawsuit. Verification from your employer and physician, as well as copies of your tax returns, may be necessary to substantiate the claim.

If you are so seriously injured that you cannot return to your prior employment indefinitely, your future lost wages may also be claimed in the form of damages for lost earning capacity.

Under the 2013 PIP law change, an accident victim must get “initial services and care” within two weeks of a crash if they want to receive benefits through their PIP coverage. 

State-mandated PIP Coverage 

Florida requires motorists to purchase mandatory “no fault” auto insurance coverage, which includes Personal Injury Protection (PIP). [Florida Statute 627.736] PIP covers your lost wages regardless of who was at fault in causing the crash, but payout is limited.

Unfortunately, insurance coverage limits may not be adequate to fully compensate you for present and future lost income. In these cases, with the help of a skilled accident attorney, you may pursue a personal injury lawsuit against the party responsible for your injuries.

Future Lost Earning Capacity 

For people gravely injured in some car accidents, returning to their pre-accident employment is simply not possible due to their new physical disabilities. In these cases, a skilled Florida car accident attorney would retain a vocational expert to explain to a court what jobs your newly limited skill set allows you to do.

If you are capable of working, but not to the same extent or in an occupation where you earn less money, we can work with an economist to project your expected lost income over the course of your working life. We would calculate the amount needed in today’s dollars to compensate you for those future lost earnings.

Let a Respected Tampa Accident Injury Firm Help You Recover What Is Rightfully Yours 

The skilled Tampa personal injury attorneys at The Pawlowski//Mastrilli Law Group regularly represents people seriously hurt in auto accidents who are unable to work and have lost their source of income. We fight passionately for our clients’ rights by partnering with professional experts who can help substantiate your loss to decision makers who will be evaluating your case. Contact our office today for a consultation with an attorney who can help you recover the compensation you deserve.

Resource:

flsenate.gov/Laws/Statutes/2015/627.736

https://megajustice.com/how-do-insurance-companies-evaluate-the-value-of-cases/