Lost wages compensate for income actually lost due to the injury during the period before trial. Proof comes from pay records, tax returns, employer statements, and medical documentation of the disability period.
The claim covers salary, hourly wages, overtime, commissions, bonuses, and lost benefits attributable to the missed work.
Alternative Names:
Lost Earnings, Lost Income
Why it Matters?
Past lost wages are the most verifiable damages component and therefore the most productive to audit. Tax returns and employment records frequently show income patterns inconsistent with the claim, gaps that predate the injury, or self-employment figures that cannot be substantiated. Discrepancies here also damage credibility on the less verifiable components of the claim.
Frequently Confused with
Related terms
Frequently asked questions
What proof is required for lost wages?
How are self-employed claimants' lost wages proven?
