Recovering Lost Wages After a Car Accident in Massachusetts
The inability to work after a car accident can be frightening as medical bills, along with other living expenses, continue to flow in. Getting back into life after a car accident requires the ability to meet your financial needs. There are multiple avenues of recovering lost wages after a Massachusetts car accident to assist you.
File a Personal Injury Protection (PIP) Claim
Massachusetts requires drivers to maintain minimal coverage for an auto insurance policy. Personal injury protection is a form of coverage in your policy that will allow you to collect up to $8000 in lost wages and medical bills. If you have personal health insurance, PIP will pay the first $2000 in medical bills before requiring your insurance to take over, but PIP coverage can be used exclusively for medical bills, lost wages, or a combination of both.
An application for PIP benefits must be submitted to start the process. PIP will cover up to 75% of lost wages after a car accident. Then, documenting the damages that result from the car accident is required to support your claim.
The insurance company will require a doctor’s visit to a physician of their choice, submitting to an examination under oath, and written documentation from your employer. A loss of coverage may result from failing to meet any of these requirements. At this point, your insurance company will work with the negligent driver’s insurance company to recover the damages paid by your insurance.
When Personal Injury Protection is Insufficient
PIP’s coverage may not come close to covering the cost of medical treatment for injuries and lost wages. Filing a Massachusetts personal injury lawsuit will be necessary when this is the case. A personal injury lawsuit allows you to seek compensation for compensatory damages resulting from the accident, including lost wages.
Pursuing a personal injury lawsuit in Massachusetts requires that an individual’s injuries result in more than $2000 in medical expenses. A lawsuit is also a course of action when injuries include:
- A broken bone
- Significant or permanent disfigurement
- The loss of hearing or sight as a result of the accident
This compensation call also serves to cover other damages you suffer. Documentation is vital to a successful settlement or lawsuit. Two critical pieces of documentation are required.
Disability Note
A disability note will come from the doctor in charge of your care. It will detail the injuries you have suffered and the limitations they have placed on your ability to work. In this note, a physician will document the extent of any disability resulting from the injuries.
Salary Verification Form
Your employer will supply a form verifying your employment, including the days missed from work due to the injuries while under a doctor’s care and your pay rate. Compensation for lost wages will be determined by the wage payment method. Determining lost wages based on an hourly pay rate, commission, or any other rate other than salary is more complex, so it is critical to have someone advocating for the gross earnings you lost due to your injuries.
Work With a Boston Personal Injury Lawyer to Secure Lost Wages
The maximum coverage by PIP insurance may not come close to compensating for the work lost due to a car accident. Cashman Law Firm offers free case evaluations to determine if your injuries qualify for a personal injury lawsuit. Let our team advocate for you today in recovering lost wages compensation.