After a car crash, you can claim certain kinds of losses from insurance or in a civil lawsuit against the driver who caused the wreck. Car insurance will typically cover both medical bills and lost wages in addition to someone’s property damage expenses from the wreck.
Those injured in a collision can claim the same kinds of losses in the civil lawsuit against the at-fault driver if their insurance coverage isn’t adequate. Sometimes, the losses that you and your loved ones suffer after a crash art that straightforward.
If you are a homemaker or stay-at-home parent, does that mean you have no right to claim lost wages after a car crash?
Can you show the economic impact of your injury?
A first glance, it might seem like a stay-at-home parent doesn’t have any income to claim, but that doesn’t mean there won’t be any provable financial losses stemming from their injury. However, that doesn’t mean they won’t suffer losses because of their injuries.
When an employed adult gets hurt in a car crash, they have payroll records to quickly validate what their time is worth and how much they have lost because of the crash. It can be a lot harder to put a price tag on the injuries suffered by a non-working member of the household.
Estimates about the value of a stay-at-home parent’s contribution put them at over $178,000 a year. If you have to hire other people to take care of your kids, clean your house or prepare your meals, those expenses will add up quickly. Showing how the injury prevents you from performing your usual tasks and the impact that has on your family could allow you to claim more.
Complicated claims can take a lot more effort to resolve
Making a lost income claim as a non-working adult or otherwise deviating from the standard process during an insurance claim or personal injury lawsuit will make things more complex. There are more ways for the process to go wrong, as well as more evidence for you to gather before going to court or communicating with the insurance company.
Understanding your rights and gathering the evidence that supports your claim after a car crash can help you get the compensation you deserve.
