New Jersey law allows you to obtain lost wages as part of a personal injury settlement or jury award. However, you must first prove that another party’s negligence caused the accident. Furthermore, you must also establish the amount you lost while recovering from a broken bone, concussion or other injuries sustained as the result of the defendant’s negligence.
Proving negligence
The defendant is negligent in your case if they failed to exercise proper care while operating a motor vehicle. Examples of negligence include driving while under the influence of drugs or alcohol or driving at a speed that is too fast for road conditions. Failing to obey a stop sign or driving while tired or distracted may also be examples of negligent behavior. If a car accident was caused by poor road design or because of a defective part, other parties may be liable for damages.
Proving that you incurred losses
Pay stubs, medical bills and repair quotes are the most powerful evidence to establish how much you lost while recovering from your injuries. Your paystub will highlight how much you make and require restitution for the income loss. Let’s say that you make $500 weekly and are out of work for three weeks. In that scenario, you will receive $1,500 awarded for lost income. If you are a salaried worker, you will divide your salary by the number of weeks you were out of work to determine the extent of your losses.
You have two years from the accident date to file a lawsuit in New Jersey. In addition to lost wages, you may be entitled to compensation for medical bills, lost future earnings and other losses incurred due to a defendant’s negligence.