Can I Get Compensation for Missed Wages After a New Hampshire Crash?

Missed wages represent some of the most difficult economic pressures after car crashes in New Hampshire. Although medical bills may cause initial financial hardships, an injury can potentially cause an entire lifetime of lost wages. What can you do if you face this situation firsthand? Is it possible to recover compensation for these losses? Can a New Hampshire injury lawyer help?

Lost Income Is a Legitimate Economic Damage

 The first thing you need to understand is that you are perfectly justified in pursuing compensation for lost income after a crash. In New Hampshire, missed wages represent “economic damages” in a personal injury lawsuit. As long as you can prove that your lost wages stem from your car accident, you can pursue compensation for these losses.

Of course, you also need to prove that your car accident was caused by someone else. This isn’t always easy, and a lawyer could help you achieve this goal. Remember, New Hampshire’s “comparative negligence” system allows you to file an injury claim even if you were partially to blame for your own accident. As long as you can prove that someone else was mostly to blame for the accident, you should receive at least some compensation for your lost wages.

Lost Income in Wrongful Death Claims

 If you have lost a loved one due to a fatal car accident in New Hampshire, you may also pursue compensation for lost wages. This may be crucial for spouses, children, and dependent seniors who have lost primary wage earners. You may be able to pursue compensation for what your loved one would have earned if the crash had never occurred. This loss can be quite substantial, especially for families who lose high-income individuals.

The Importance of Waiting Until Maximum Medical Improvement 

It may be difficult to determine an injury’s effect on your earning capacity until a certain amount of time has passed. If you accept a settlement too early, you may struggle with unforeseen lost income in the future.

For example, doctors may inform you that you may never walk again immediately after an accident. This may cause you to want to settle your claim right away because of fear for the future or concern for your immediate finances. However, it makes sense to wait until your “maximum medical improvement” or “MMI” before you accept compensation. Until you reach this point in your healing process, it may be impossible to predict your post-injury income or what future medical treatment or medical equipment you may need.

How Can a New Hampshire Injury Lawyer Help? 

If you’re concerned about lost income after a car crash, a Manchester car accident lawyer at Manning Zimmerman & Oliveira PLLC may be able to help. These legal professionals can help you prove that your injuries have left you unable to work. They can also negotiate on your behalf with insurers – ensuring you walk away with your fair share. Speak with us today to learn more about your legal options – and be sure to bring tax returns, pay stubs, and other income documentation.

Sources: 

dol.gov/agencies/owcp/energy/regs/compliance/PolicyandProcedures/proceduremanualhtml/unifiedpm/Unifiedpm_part2/Chapter2-1300ImpairmentRatings

injuryfacts.nsc.org/all-injuries/costs/guide-to-calculating-costs/data-details/