A car accident can change your life in an instant, and not for the better. Instead, serious car accident injuries interfere with all aspects of your life, including your ability to work to support yourself and your family.
Facing the possibility of financial hardship can feel overwhelming when you need your strength to focus on your physical healing and emotional well-being. While nothing can turn back time to undo the accident and erase the injuries, you do have options to recover compensation for your losses, including your lost earnings through a St Louis car wreck injury claim.
First, Document Your Lost Income
Obtaining copies of your accident report, medical report, and your medical bills and receipts are important steps in a Missouri car accident claim. Missouri’s fault-based car accident laws under the modified comparative negligence system require a car accident victim seeking compensation to file a claim against the responsible party or parties. Important steps include the following:
- Hiring an experienced car accident lawyer to represent your best interests throughout the process of your claim
- Keeping an account of your lost work days
- Determining the number of workdays ahead that you will miss for upcoming appointments, physical therapy, procedures, and recovery time
- Gathering evidence of your total lost earnings by obtaining copies of your direct deposit records or paycheck stubs and at least three years of income tax records
- Asking your employer to write a statement to total your lost work hours, lost wages or salary, lost commissions or bonuses, and lost benefits for your time away from work
- If your injuries are permanent or cause permanent disability, ask your employer to write a statement about how the disability impacts your ability to work at your previous capacity, or at all
Your personal injury attorney will also consult with medical experts and occupational therapists to document evidence of the injury’s impact on your ability to work.
Recoverable Damages After a Car Accident In Missouri
It takes a compelling claim to maximize the compensation available to you. Missouri allows a car accident victim to recover the full value of their economic and non-economic damages within the limits of the at-fault party’s insurance policy. Depending on the circumstances of the accident, an assertive car accident attorney pursues compensation from all available avenues, including demanding financial accountability from anyone who caused or contributed to the accident. For instance, besides an at-fault driver, other entities may be held liable for their portion of your damages. Examples include the following:
- A negligent road maintenance agency for leaving a hazardous road condition, such as a dangerous pothole or branches obstructing a traffic sign
- A negligent road planning agency that designed a dangerous intersection, entrance ramp, or exit ramp
- The manufacturer of a defective auto part, seatbelt, or airbag that exacerbated your injuries
Most claims against an at-fault driver end with a settlement from the responsible driver’s insurance; however, the policy limits constrain the amount recoverable in a claim, not just for lost earnings and medical expenses, but also for your pain and suffering and catastrophic injury. Holding all parties accountable increases the compensation available to you.
Exploring Short and Long-Term Disability Benefits Available to You After a Car Accident Puts You Out of Work
Damages recovered from one or more at-fault parties can end in one or more substantial settlements to provide the financial relief you deserve for your accident-related damages, including your income loss and diminished future earning capacity. While an attorney works tirelessly to maximize the settlement or court award for your damages, this is typically a one-time lump sum payment.
For permanent or catastrophic injuries that prevent a return to work, it’s also important to apply for any monthly benefits available to you through the Social Security Disability Administration. The administration reviews your medical condition and its impact on your ability to work before making a determination on your disability benefits.