Lost Wages after an accident in Las Vegas, NV

Did you suffer a severe injury in a Las Vegas car accident, slip and fall, or other incident? You might be dealing with costly medical bills, a disability, and other expenses you never planned for. The financial strain you’re under can only get worse if your injuries keep you from working. A study published in the journal Injury Prevention found that, on average, a person who suffers a non-fatal injury misses 11 days of work while they recover.

In Nevada, injured people can pursue compensation for their lost wages if another party’s carelessness caused the accident and the resulting injuries. However, the lost income must be documented, the time off deemed medically necessary, and proof must show the accident was not their fault. If you’re struggling to make ends meet after an accident, an experienced personal injury attorney can gather the information you need to recoup your money through a lost wages claim.

THE702FIRM Injury Attorneys is a trusted personal injury law firm serving clients in Las Vegas and the surrounding communities. Call or contact us today for a free consultation.

What Counts as Lost Wages?

Lost wages include any income you would have received if you never got hurt. In Nevada, this can include:

• Hourly wages
• Commissions
• Overtime
• Bonuses

• Perks, such as the use of a company car or cell phone
• Self-employment income
• Vacation or sick days used to recover from the injury

Put simply, a lost wages claim can request reimbursement for any of your missed employment-related income after an accident.

Getting a Lost-Wages Letter from Your Employer

The best way to prove your wage loss is by getting a letter from your employer. A lost-wages letter includes the following information:

• Your job title
• Your hire date
• Proof of employment on the date of injury
• How many hours you typically work each week
• Your hourly wage or annual salary

• Any overtime hours you work in a given workweek
• Your overtime rate
• Any additional bonuses or perks you missed
• How long you were off work due to your injury

Proving Loss of Income

In a personal injury case, proving loss of income is essential to ensure you receive fair compensation. Loss of income can include past wages, lost earning capacity, and potential future earnings. Injury victims need to provide solid evidence, such as past pay stubs, employment records, and medical documentation, to support their claim.

For a lost wage claim, showing pay stubs and tax returns can demonstrate what you would have earned if the accident hadn’t occurred. This is particularly important in car accident lawsuits and Nevada personal injury cases. Injury victims seeking to claim lost earning capacity must show how their ability to work has been affected in the long term.

If you’re self-employed, proving lost self-employment income can be a bit more challenging. Detailed financial records, contracts, and client communication can help show your potential earnings. Lost future earnings or wages may require expert testimony from economists or medical professionals to establish the impact of the injury on your ability to work.

Having attorneys on your side can make a significant difference in your case. An experienced personal injury lawyer will help you compile and present the necessary documents and argue for fair compensation, including overtime hours or bonuses you would have earned. This ensures you have the strongest lost wage claims possible.

In Nevada personal injury cases, working with an experienced attorney is essential to recovering lost wages and effectively securing future financial stability.

Will You Pay Taxes on Compensation for Lost Wages?

Generally, compensation awarded in a lawsuit or settlement for physical injury or illness is not taxable. However, the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) views lost wages differently. It says that lost wages are taxable, arguing that the recipient would have paid taxes on that money if they had earned it by working as usual.

Most compensation is awarded in a lump sum, so calculating taxes could get complicated. Your personal injury lawyer can consult with an accountant if questions over the taxability of your lost wages arise.

Unemployment Benefits and Lost Wages Claims

When a person is injured or loses their job unexpectedly, they might face financial struggles that go beyond just medical bills. In a Nevada personal injury case, lost wages often become a major concern. These claims cover more than just the regular paycheck; they can also include:

• Lost earnings
• Perks
• Bonuses

Understanding one’s rights is key for those unable to work due to injury or wrongful termination. If someone is forced to take time off or loses their job because of an injury, they may be able to seek compensation. This claim can include the wages they would have earned, any lost perks like health insurance benefits, and lost bonuses they would have received.

Additionally, injured workers may be eligible for unemployment benefits if they meet specific requirements. However, time is a factor. Every state, including Nevada, has a statute of limitations that restricts how long a person has to file a claim. It’s essential to act quickly and know the deadlines that apply to avoid losing the right to compensation.

People injured in accidents can face many hurdles when dealing with an insurance company. Insurers often aim to minimize payouts, making it harder for accident victims to get the full compensation they deserve. This can also be true for those seeking overtime pay for lost work hours or pursuing lost wages due to the inability to work.

Staying informed and taking steps early on can help protect one’s financial stability during tough times. Knowing what compensation can be recovered can make a big difference in moving forward after a setback.

Lost Wages vs. Loss of Future Income

Lost wages include any income you would have earned if your injury had never happened. This amount is typically easy to calculate since it covers a fixed period. However, if you are injured so severely that you will never be able to return to work — or you will only be able to work part-time or in a lower-paying role — you may be owed compensation for loss of future income.

Proving loss of future income is more complicated. Rather than simply showing the money you lost, your lawyer will need evidence showing projected income losses. Potential evidence may include:

• Statements from your doctors declaring your condition render you unable to work
• Medical opinions stating your condition is expected to deteriorate
• An evaluation of personal factors, such as your age, career, and work history
• Statements from coworkers, bosses, or family members about your career goals
• Statements from financial planners

Like every personal injury claim, your lawyer will still need to link your inability to work directly to the accident.

What if I am Self-Employed?

If you’re self-employed and involved in an accident in Las Vegas, recovering lost income can be more complex than for traditional employees. Unlike regular salaried workers who can use pay stubs to show their losses, self-employed individuals often need to provide a variety of documents to prove lost wages after an accident in Las Vegas, NV.

To build a strong lost wages claim, you may need to present detailed financial records such as:

• Tax returns
• Bank statements
• Contracts
• Proof of missed work

You might also include:

• Past invoices
• Work logs 
• Any correspondence that highlights how your absence impacted your income

This documentation helps establish your lost self-employment income, including any lost perks, bonuses, or missed opportunities.

In addition, the impact on future earnings can be significant if the injury limits your ability to work. Calculating future lost wages or diminished earning capacity is more challenging because it involves predicting how your self-employment income might have grown. An experienced personal injury attorney can work with financial experts to assess your potential losses.

If you file a lost wage claim in a Nevada personal injury case, you’ll also need to provide evidence like medical records and professional opinions to demonstrate the severity of your injury and how it affects your ability to work. For car accident cases, insurance companies might try to undervalue or dispute your lost income, making solid documentation and legal guidance essential.

To get fair compensation for your lost wages, both past and future, consider consulting with an experienced attorney. They can help you handle the process and ensure you recover the maximum compensation for your lost self-employment income. Many injury victims in Las Vegas can benefit from a free consultation to understand their options and strengthen their claims.

How to Submit a Lost Wages Claim in Las Vegas

To seek compensation for lost wages, you will typically file an injury claim, a personal injury lawsuit, or both. In either case, your attorney could help you calculate the total value of your lost wages and other economic losses, such as medical bills and rehabilitation costs. Because proving the compensation you are owed for wage loss can be challenging, it’s in your best interest to have an attorney do the math for you.

Get Help From THE702FIRM Injury Attorneys in Las Vegas

Recovering from an injury is hard enough without the added stress of worrying about the financial impact of lost income. At THE702FIRM Injury Attorneys, we can take the pressure off and demand full compensation for your lost wages and diminished earning capacity. Put our award-winning legal team to work for you. Contact THE702FIRM Injury Attorneys for a free case review today.