Understanding the importance of the lost wage claim element

Personal injury claims after an auto accident in Louisiana are typically composed of several elements pertaining to financial recovery. The first damages claimed are the medical bills generated by treatment for the injuries along with physical property damage when the injured party is an owner of an involved vehicle. There is also usually a general damage element of long-term impact for pain and suffering that takes into account the lingering problems with the injury. While this is a primary financial element of any claim, many individuals who are unable to work due to the injury will also have a claim for lost wages that can be very significant.

The per diem calculation method

Lost wages requests in an MVA claim are typically calculated using the per diem method. Injured victims are assessed for what their earnings would have been per day had they not been injured, and then submitted based on a daily rate of pay and the number of days unable to work due to the claimed injury. Long-term injuries can generate a significant amount, often maximizing insurance policy coverage with permanent or long-term injury.

Proving the lost wages element

Certain injured claimants will have some difficulty providing documentation supporting their financial damages. Those who are self-employed and who only work when work is available must prove lost income just as those working regularly with a verified third-party employer. Damages are supported by income statements prior to the injury and are used as a basis for pay scale throughout the period of injury recovery. An experienced MVA personal injury attorney is invaluable with this process because they can compile all necessary pay documentation and present it within the claim.

Financial recovery for lost wages is a primary example of damages that can be recovered in any MVA injury claim with an aggressive personal injury attorney representing the claim. While everyone cannot claim this item, those who are regularly employed can and should include it in the claim. Studies have shown that injured victims can obtain up to three times as much compensation with an attorney as those who attempt handling their own claims.