Our experienced personal injury attorneys at WGK Personal Injury Lawyers are here to help you learn more about getting reimbursed for lost wages after a car accident. We provide a free consultation for every client and take the time to answer any questions you have, contact our Baltimore law office. Call our law firm today at (410) 837-2144 to schedule your free consultation.
When you’ve been hurt in a car accident in Baltimore, MD, it’s normal to have questions. One of the most important questions might involve the damages that are available after a car accident. Insurance companies would have you believe that you are only entitled to compensation for medical bills–but that’s simply not the case.
At WGK Personal Injury Lawyers, we have fought to protect clients’ rights in Baltimore for over 40 years. Our attorneys bring over 80 years of combined experience to the table. We want to make sure you get the money you need to fully recover–and that includes getting compensated for lost time at work.
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How a Personal Injury Lawyer Can Help You Get Reimbursed for Lost Wages After a Baltimore Car Accident
Car accidents can be traumatic and overwhelming. This is even more true if you are seriously hurt in the crash and struggling to get by financially. Even when you have a clear right to compensation, getting the full amount you deserve isn’t always easy. You have to stand up and protect your rights.
Fortunately, you don’t have to handle everything on your own.
At WGK Personal Injury Lawyers, our personal injury attorneys know how important it is to get money quickly after a crash. We can help you get reimbursed for lost wages after an auto accident–and we can fight to hold the negligent party accountable for things like medical bills, property damage and pain and suffering.
When you choose our lawyers to represent you, you can expect that we will:
- Give your case the personal attention it deserves from beginning to end
- Conduct a comprehensive investigation to find out who is responsible for your accident
- Keep you updated about how your case is progressing
- Gather the evidence you need to support your insurance claim for lost wage reimbursement
- Negotiate with the insurance companies to get what’s fair
- Handle all of the paperwork and procedural requirements
Many injury victims find themselves standing by helplessly while their career and job prospects slip away. At WGK Personal Injury Lawyers, our Baltimore personal injury attorneys will fight to hold the negligent party fully responsible so that your finances are protected.
Understanding Your Right to Lost Wages After a Car Accident in Maryland
Medical expense reimbursement is a key component of any damages award. But what about all the other bills that have piled up while you’re recovering?
Maryland personal injury law gives accident victims the right to be made financially whole again after an accident. If you were unable to work because of your injuries, that includes reimbursement for the lost wages, salary, and income that you lost because of the accident.
Proving the Value of Your Lost Wages
If you aren’t a salaried employee, establishing the amount of your lost wages can be challenging. If you are self-employed or work on commission, establishing the amount of your lost wages can be even more complex.
Having the right documents on hand can be key to successfully negotiating for reimbursement of lost wages after a car accident. Helpful documents may include:
- Tax returns
- Pay stubs
- Letters from your employer or supervisor about how much time you missed
- Notes from your doctor instructing you to avoid work
- Medical records to provide detailed information about the extent of your injuries
Importantly, you only have a limited time to file a lawsuit under the Maryland statute of limitations. The law requires negligent parties to reimburse accident victims for the full amount of their lost wages. If you suffered a serious injury, you might not be ready to return to work due to those injuries even once the statute of limitations has expired.
At the Baltimore law office of WGK Personal Injury Lawyers, our experienced personal injury lawyers work to get reimbursement for the full value of your lost income–even if that income represents future lost earning capacity. To establish your right to future lost wages, we may present:
- Testimony from your doctor about the extent of your injuries
- Information about your future employment prospects
- Details about your past earning ability
- Evidence of any future promotions you may have been eligible for “but for” the injury
Fair compensation after a car accident means getting a full settlement or verdict. Our car accident lawyers work tirelessly to get every dollar you deserve.
Wage Reimbursement for Self-Employed Accident Victims
If you’re self-employed, establishing the value of your lost wages requires proving your lost profits with reasonable certainty. Insurance companies almost always put up a fight when it comes to putting a value on your lost wages.
The income of self-employed accident victims can fluctuate throughout the year. Seasonal business owners might face an even stronger challenge. Depending upon your business, we might build a case to recover lost wages based on:
- Quarterly profit and loss statements
- Tax returns for the past several years
- Evidence about the cost of doing business (business expenses that you did not incur because of the injury)
- Any new business that you had in the works and missed out on because of the accident
- The cost of hiring employees to fill in for you and keep your business afloat
The bottom line? Even if you’re self-employed, you can be reimbursed for lost wages after a car accident. A strong legal offense is the key to making sure you get what you deserve.
Can I Be Reimbursed for Lost Wages if I Was Partly to Blame for the Car Accident in Baltimore, MD?
Maryland follows a strict contributory negligence rule–one that is relatively unusual, but was upheld as recently as 2013. Under that rule, car accident victims lose the right to recover financial compensation entirely if they are even partly to blame for the accident.
Insurance companies almost always try to use this strict rule to avoid paying up. These blame-shifting tactics are often meant to scare you into accepting a lowball settlement.
Our personal injury attorneys at WGK Personal Injury Lawyers. know how to fight back against insurance companies who try to shift the blame to the victim. We’re passionate about getting justice for accident victims. Give us a call today to learn more about how we can defend your rights.
Application of the Maryland Collateral Source Rule to Lost Wage Reimbursement
Some employers pay full or partial wages for the time accident victims miss at work. That doesn’t interfere with your right to be reimbursed for lost wages after a car accident by the at-fault party.
This is known as the collateral source rule. Defendants in Maryland car accident cases can’t escape liability for the damages their negligence has caused just because another source provided compensation.
Your employer might have the right to collect reimbursement from you. The policy in Baltimore is that someone shouldn’t be able to escape liability for their negligence just because a “collateral source” stepped in to shoulder some of the financial burden.
Common Car Accident Injuries That Give You the Right to Wage Reimbursement
You have the right to be reimbursed for lost wages after a car accident even if your injuries are expected to heal. Our personal injury lawyers can help you establish your right to wage reimbursement if you’ve suffered:
- Back injuries
- Brain injuries
- Broken bones
- Burn injuries
- Chest injuries
- Concussion
- Crush injuries
- Degloving
- Eye injuries
- Head injuries
- Lost limbs
- Neck injuries
- Paralysis
- Soft tissue damage
- Spinal cord injuries
- Wrongful death of a loved one
Insurance companies might try to convince you that your injuries aren’t serious enough to justify lost wages. Our lawyers are here to help prove them wrong. Call the skilled Baltimore car accident lawyers at WGK Personal Injury Lawyers to learn more.
You Only Have a Limited Amount of Time to Request Reimbursement for Lost Wages In Maryland
In Maryland, you only have three years to file a personal injury lawsuit for compensation after a car accident. After three years have passed, you lose your right to pursue compensation from the negligent party.
The statute of limitations, however, doesn’t mean that you should wait three years to speak with an attorney. It also doesn’t mean that you can only be reimbursed for losses that occur within the three-year period. If you have questions about your rights, don’t hesitate to call our Baltimore personal injury lawyers for a free consultation.
Call The Baltimore Car Wreck Lawyers At WGK Personal Injury Lawyers to Learn More About Getting Reimbursed for Lost Wages After a Car Accident
The money from a personal injury settlement can make a dramatic difference in your life. Even if your medical bills are covered by insurance, you also have the right to be reimbursed for lost wages after a car accident.
If you’re worried about how you’ll pay for a lawyer, we can help. Our car accident attorneys work on a contingency, so there’s no risk in getting our help. Call for a free consultation with WGK Personal Injury Lawyers today so that you can get our honest and straightforward opinion about options in your injury case.
