Help for the Pain

When you are injured in an automobile accident and are injured at the hands of another individual, you may have to miss time off of work. You will file an insurance claim with your auto insurance company and they may decide to reimburse you for your lost wages that you incur as a result of the accident. Here is what you need to know about recovering damages associated with lost wages:

Filing

First, you will need to be able to determine if and how you can recover damages. You have different options depending on the type of insurance coverage that you have or the other driver has.

• Bodily Injury– If the other driver is at fault for the accident, you should be able to file a claim through their insurance company under their bodily injury policy to recover your lost wages.
• Underinsured or Uninsured Motorist – If they did not have a standard insurance policy or do not have adequate insurance, you might be able to file a claim under your own policy if you carry underinsured or uninsured motorist coverage.
• Personal Injury Protection – In some cases, you may be able to recover your lost wages through your PIP coverage, if you have it, up to your state's limit. This is often true even if the accident was your fault.

Documentation

Once you have determined how you can recover your lost wages, you'll need to submit the proper documentation to recover compensation.

• Medical Records – You need to make sure that you obtain all records from your primary care physician. This includes all treatment plans, prescriptions, and even medical bills.
• Employer Letter – You also need to get a formal memo from your boss stating the time that you lost from work as a result of the injuries that you sustained in the accident. It may be a good idea to have your employer include your rate of pay and average number of weekly hours worked as well.
• Proof of Wages – While you can have your employer include your hourly rate or salary as well as the number of work hours you work on a weekly basis on the previously mentioned letter, it doesn't hurt to provide your own proof of wages. Make sure to provide copies of the past month or two of pay stubs. If you are self-employed or receive commission, you may want to offer last year's tax return as proof of wages.

If you have difficulty with any of this, you may want to reach out to a car accident attorney like those at Terrence Salerno Law Office. They can help navigate you through the claims process while ensuring your rights are protected every step of the way and increase your chances of a fair settlement from the insurance company.