After a car crash leaves someone seriously injured, it can be hard for that person and their family members to come to terms with all of the changes that may result. People may have to rework their schedules and how they share responsibilities with their family members. They may need to arrange for an extended medical leave from work or prepare to change professions.
Financial challenges are often the most immediate concern for those coping with a recent catastrophic injury. The trauma care that people require immediately after they get hurt can add up to tens of thousands of dollars, and they may find themselves out of work for weeks or months after they first suffer harm.
Some people recognize that they could make a claim against someone’s car insurance or possibly file a lawsuit to recover the wages they don’t earn when they miss work because of their injuries. Not as many people recognize that they can also file a claim based on their lost future earning potential.
An injury can diminish income for life
When changes to someone’s appearance, physical limitations and mental health challenges alter the career trajectory of an individual, they may experience long-term financial losses. Serious injuries that necessitate ongoing medical care or create lifetime limitations for someone’s strength or range of motion. Affected workers may earn less in the future even if they have always been ambitious.
In some cases, they may need to move into a lower-paid profession where they will earn a fraction of what they used to make. Other times, it may be a change in their personality or appearance that limits their earning potential. Depression caused by somebody’s physical injuries and chronic pain could also affect their advancement opportunities and therefore their income.
People may need to review the potential future income their profession offers and then compare that with their likely future earning potential after sustaining injuries to determine how much earning potential they have lost because of their harm. Looking at future losses in addition to current lost wages can help someone maximize their compensation after they get hurt in a car crash.