Were you recently injured in a car accident in St. Petersburg, FL? A vehicle crash can leave you with severe physical injuries and overwhelming medical bills. Plus, you may not know when or if you can return to work. The unexpected loss of income can put you and your family in a worrisome spot.
Lopez Accident Injury Attorneys can determine if you can be reimbursed for lost wages after a car accident in St. Petersburg, Florida. In most cases, the answer is yes. Whether you can get the full value of your wages often depends on the strength of your case–and hiring the right attorney.
Our St. Petersburg car accident lawyers have more than 25+ years of combined experience and a track record of success. We’ve recovered millions of dollars in financial awards for individuals injured due to the negligence of others in cases like St. Petersburg car accidents, St. Petersburg motorcycle accidents, St. Petersburg workers’ compensations, bus accidents, taxi accidents, brain injuries, and more.
Don’t wait for your finances to reach a breaking point–call (727) 353-5451 now to schedule a free consultation.
How Can Lopez Accident Injury Attorneys Help Me Get Wage Reimbursement After an Accident in St. Petersburg, FL?
Car crashes can change your life in an instant. You may suffer debilitating injuries and struggle to cover medical bills or find child care–not to mention you may be without transportation or the ability to drive. Hiring our experienced St. Petersburg car accident lawyers will put your mind at ease and get to work right away to restore your financial stability.
When you hire our award-winning legal team, we’ll:
Determine the Cause of Your Accident and Identify Potentially Liable Parties
The first step in pursuing compensation is understanding exactly what happened and who is responsible. Our team conducts a thorough investigation of the accident, utilizing resources such as accident reports, witness statements, and, when necessary, accident reconstruction experts. This comprehensive approach ensures we identify all parties who may bear liability for your injuries, increasing the avenues through which we can pursue compensation.
Calculate Your Lost Wages, Benefits, and Other Compensation
Understanding the full scope of your financial losses is critical to ensuring you’re fully compensated. Our team calculates the wages you’ve lost and the impact on benefits such as health insurance, retirement savings contributions, and more. We also consider other compensation you may be entitled to, such as pain and suffering, to ensure we’re seeking a settlement that addresses all aspects of your loss.
Hire Medical and Economic Experts
Injuries can affect your ability to earn a living in ways that aren’t always immediately apparent. We collaborate with medical and economic experts to assess the long-term impact of your injuries on your earning capacity. These expert witnesses help us understand how your injuries will affect your career trajectory, allowing us to calculate and pursue compensation that reflects your altered financial future.
Monitor Deadlines and Filing Claims or Court Documents
Personal injury cases are bound by strict deadlines, known as statutes of limitations. Missing these deadlines can jeopardize your right to compensation. Our team diligently monitors all relevant deadlines, ensuring that claims and court documents are filed promptly to preserve your rights and keep your case moving forward.
Negotiate with Insurance Companies
Negotiating with insurance companies can be difficult, but our experienced negotiators are skilled at securing settlements that fairly compensate our clients. We understand the tactics insurers may use to minimize payouts and are prepared to counter them effectively, always with the goal of achieving a settlement that reflects the true value of your losses and injuries.
Provide Top-Rated Trial Representation
While many personal injury cases settle out of court, some require a trial to achieve fair compensation. Should your case go to trial, a top-rated trial attorney from our team will represent you. Our trial lawyers are experienced and effective advocates in the courtroom, ready to fight for your rights and present a compelling case on your behalf.
We know that even one missed paycheck can affect your family. We work quickly to get your case started, and we look for every possible source of compensation for you. We take care of everything from start to finish so that you can take the time to rest and recover. Initial consultations are always free, so call now to see how we can help in St. Petersburg, Florida.
How Do I Recover Lost Wages After a Car Accident?
We work hard to recover the maximum compensation for you after a car wreck. In most cases, that includes economic (monetary) and non-economic damages (pain and suffering). Economic damages cover financial losses, so lost wages are in that category.
Your first source of compensation for lost wages is usually your own insurance. Florida requires drivers to carry Personal Injury Protection insurance (PIP), and your PIP may be available to cover up to 60% of your lost wages. Florida is a “no-fault” state, which means you can get money from your PIP policy even if you were partially at fault for the accident.
If you sustain a serious injury, you may be able to file a claim against the at-fault party’s insurance company to recover additional compensation. Or you may be able to file a personal injury lawsuit. Either of these routes could allow you to recover the full value of your lost wages.
You may be able to recover:
Hourly Wages or Salary for the Time Missed Work
When you’re unable to work due to injuries from a car accident, the lost time can significantly impact your financial stability. Our firm can help you document and calculate the total amount of income you’ve missed. This includes your base salary or hourly wage and overtime or bonuses you were reasonably expected to earn had the accident not occurred. We’ll work closely with your employer to gather the necessary documentation, such as pay stubs and employment letters, to substantiate your claim.
Value of Sick or Vacation Leave Taken
Injuries from car accidents often require time off for medical appointments or recovery, leading many to use their sick or vacation leave. Although you’re not receiving your salary or wage directly during this time, it’s a financial loss as you’re depleting valuable leave benefits.
Our team understands the importance of these benefits and will help you calculate their monetary value. This ensures that compensation reflects not just immediately lost wages but also the long-term impact on your paid leave balance.
Compensation for Loss of Earning Capacity
The consequences of a serious injury can extend beyond immediate lost wages to affect your ability to earn income in the future. Loss of earning capacity is recognized as a significant damage and entails a detailed calculation based on your age, skill set, career trajectory, and the severity and permanency of your injuries.
Our lawyers are experienced in working with medical and economic experts to project these future losses accurately, ensuring that you receive compensation that reflects your altered potential to earn.
You’ll want to consult an experienced St. Petersburg personal injury attorney as soon as possible after your accident–that ensures you don’t miss any deadlines and that you’ll have all legal options available to you.
What Other Compensation Can I Get After a Car Crash in St. Pete?
Most car wrecks cause a whole host of physical, financial, and emotional damage.
Compensatory damages generally cover:
Medical Bills
Medical bills represent one of the most significant expenses following a car accident. This category includes emergency room visits, hospital stays, surgeries, doctor’s appointments, physical therapy, and any other medical treatments necessary due to injuries sustained in the wreck. Our firm works tirelessly to ensure that the full extent of your medical expenses, both immediate and anticipated, are covered in your compensation.
Lost Past and Future Wages
Lost wages account for the income you’ve lost while recovering from your injuries, as well as the income you will potentially lose in the future due to long-term effects or disabilities caused by the accident. We document your lost earnings and collaborate with financial experts to project future losses, ensuring your compensation reflects the true impact on your livelihood.
Medication
The cost of prescription drugs and over-the-counter medication required for pain management, infection prevention, and other needs post-accident can quickly add up. Compensation for medication expenses covers not just your current needs but also ongoing pharmaceutical treatments you may require for your injuries.
Home Medical Equipment
Serious injuries may require the use of home medical equipment, such as wheelchairs, walkers, home modifications (like ramps and railings), and other devices that assist in daily living. We advocate for compensation that includes these vital tools, ensuring that your home environment supports your recovery and long-term health needs.
Anxiety and Depression
Car accidents often result in not just physical injuries but also significant emotional and psychological trauma. Anxiety and depression are common outcomes that can affect your quality of life. We recognize the importance of addressing these mental health impacts and seeking compensation for therapy, counseling, and any necessary psychiatric care.
Disability
When injuries lead to permanent physical or cognitive disability, the impact on your life and future can be devastating. Compensation for disability aims to cover the costs of long-term care, lost earning capacity, and necessary adjustments to your living and working environments to accommodate your new limitations.
Disfigurement
Disfigurement can result from scars, burns, or other injuries sustained in a car wreck. Beyond the physical pain, disfigurement can cause significant emotional distress and self-esteem issues. Our firm pursues compensation that acknowledges the pain and suffering associated with disfigurement, as well as the cost of surgeries or treatments aimed at physical restoration.
Loss of Enjoyment of Life Activities
If your injuries prevent you from participating in hobbies, sports, or other activities that bring joy and fulfillment to your life, you may be compensated for this loss. This aspect of compensation recognizes the emotional and psychological impact of not being able to participate in life as fully as before the accident.
Loss of Consortium
Loss of consortium compensates your spouse or close family members for the loss of your companionship, support, and affection due to the injuries you suffered. This type of damage acknowledges the ripple effect that serious injuries can have on the victim’s closest relationships.
Working with insurance companies and various policies can be complicated and frustrating. That’s why we recommend not handling claims yourself after an accident. We are here 24/7 to help, and we work on a contingent fee basis–so you only pay if we successfully recover compensation for you.
What is a Contingency Fee?
A contingency fee is a payment structure where legal fees are only due if the lawyer successfully recovers compensation for their client, either through a settlement or a court award. This means that if we do not win your case, you do not pay legal fees.
Benefits of a Contingency Fee Structure
- No Upfront Costs: One of the most significant benefits is that it allows you to pursue justice without the burden of upfront legal fees. This is particularly important for those who may not have the financial resources to afford a lawyer otherwise.
- Risk Mitigation: It mitigates financial risk for clients. Since lawyers only get paid if they win, they are highly motivated to achieve the best possible outcome for their clients.
- Alignment of Interests: This fee structure aligns the lawyer’s interests with the client’s. Since the lawyer’s compensation is directly tied to the success of the case, they are incentivized to work diligently on the client’s behalf.
- Access to Justice: It provides broader access to legal services and justice, especially for those who might be deterred by the cost of hiring a lawyer on an hourly basis.
Schedule a Free Consultation With Our St. Petersburg Car Crash Lawyers
If someone else was responsible for the wreck that caused you to miss work, Lopez Accident Injury Attorneys will fight to recover your lost wages. We’ve recovered millions of dollars for those whose lives have been altered by motor vehicle accidents.
We always offer free initial consultations, so call or contact us today to speak with an experienced St. Petersburg car accident lawyer.
