Can I Make a Car Accident Claim with a Muncie Car Accident Lawyer If I Did Not Miss Time from Work?

September 25, 2024

A Muncie car accident could inflict grievous injuries that make it harder to go to work, though reimbursement for lost wages might be available when someone else is at fault.  If you have recently been hurt in a collision in Muncie, you may be asking yourself what sorts of damages justify a personal injury claim.  Join us as we discuss how auto injury cases are assessed if you are wondering “Can I make a car accident claim with a Muncie car accident lawyer if I did not miss time from work?”   

Wage Loss Compensation Can Be Sought in a Muncie Car Accident Claim 

There were 1,967 Muncie car accidents in 2022, a number of which formed the basis of personal injury claims.  To be viable, a Muncie car accident case must demonstrate both “negligence” – the failure to exercise reasonable care to avoid causing harm – and “damages” – another term for that harm. 

While injuries are the core damages in any car accident claim, compensation for wage loss can be sought as well if the injuries sustained render a victim unable to go to work, which could in turn multiply the economic impact of the accident.  Basically, not only must you cope with injuries requiring costly treatment, but those injuries could prevent you from earning the money to pay for that treatment, not to mention pay for everyday expenses, like food and housing, which don’t just magically go away if you get hurt in a crash. 

But if you can demonstrate that you would not have missed work if it were not for your collision-related injuries, you may be able to convince an insurance company, judge, or jury to award you funds for the time you did miss. 

Why Time Missed from Work Might Not Be a Factor 

As you can imagine, wage loss could add significant value to a Muncie car accident claim, though it should be pointed out that time missed from work might not be a factor in all instances. 

Employment is most frequently affected by a crash when a plaintiff works in a physically demanding profession, such as construction.  This is understandable, since a common car accident injury like a herniated disc is far more likely to stop someone from doing a job that involves heavy lifting than it is to stop someone from doing a desk job.  As such, a laborer could more credibly claim wage loss from a Muncie car accident than a clerical worker, whose period off duty might be viewed through a skeptical lens. 

Even a laborer’s wage loss might also be called into question if he or she cannot prove that going to work was not feasible in the aftermath of a Muncie car accident.  Generally, an insurance adjuster will ask for a note or a sworn statement from a medical provider before taking wage loss into account for anything less than an extreme injury.  And in the case of a minor “fender bender,” wage loss will probably only play a small role in the final settlement or verdict – or no role if a plaintiff did not miss time from work. 

Other Damages That Could Be Considered 

Though not missing time from work could reduce the amount of remuneration for a car accident, that does not mean that you cannot make a car accident claim.  The truth is that lost income is merely one kind of damage that could be considered, and it is nowhere near as important as injuries and the associated medical bills, which are the chief damages upon which an attorney will build a case.  Other losses for which your Muncie car accident lawyer might get you compensated may include: 

• Pain and suffering  

• Psychological trauma 

• Diminished quality of living  

• Mobility restrictions  

• Loss of consortium  

• Punitive damages (if applicable)  

Ultimately, the greater that your damages from a Muncie car accident are, the greater your case might be worth.  Nevertheless, as long as you were promptly treated for auto injuries for which somebody else was to blame, you should have grounds to make a car accident claim, whether or not you missed time from work.  And if your Muncie car accident attorney can paint a detailed portrait of everything that you lost as a result of this incident, you might even acquire the resources you need to become whole again.  

Reach Out to Our Dedicated Muncie Car Accident Lawyers 

Hensley Legal Group has been fighting for hardworking Hoosiers since the firm first opened its doors in 1998.  If you are struggling to recover from a major injury, reach out to our dedicated Muncie car accident lawyers to explore your legal options. 

You can call or text us at (317) 472-3333, chat with us online, or fill out our contact form to arrange a free consultation with an accomplished Muncie car accident attorney today.