A motor vehicle collision can turn a person’s world upside down. Severe crashes present serious challenges, especially when bodily injury factors in.
What happens when you lose a job due to a motor vehicle collision?
Unlike minor accidents, which can usually be handled quickly through direct communication with insurance companies, major motor vehicle collisions can cause serious property damage or injury. If injuries are extensive and require days, weeks or even months in the hospital, you may lose wages for time off work or even lose your job completely.
Special and general damages
When another driver was at fault for the motor vehicle collision that led to your job loss, you can often claim special damages. Special damages can include loss of benefits, income, wages, business opportunities and profits. Often, this will include the total amount of money you had the potential to make if you had not been involved in a collision. This amount will include the time period from the date of your injury until your doctor deems your condition stable for work.
General damages can be awarded to compensate you for the negative effects an injury had on your personal life. This amount is determined by examining how your personal life has changed following a collision. General damages can include physical pain, mental anguish, loss of enjoyment of life and permanent disability.
Limits on damages
It is important to keep in mind that an injured person does have the responsibility to limit or “mitigate” their damages. For example, you must return to work after your doctor has cleared you to do so. Should the court determine that you were able to work but didn’t, your awarded damages might be reduced.