While it can be difficult for any Orange County car accident victim to recover lost wages after an injury, self-employed victims can face an especially challenging road. While any accident victim claiming lost wages must prove that they missed work due to their accident injuries, self-employed victims face additional complications because:
- Work is often seasonal or on an irregular schedule. If the nature of your work means you have busy seasons and dry seasons, or if you simply work when there’s work, it can be difficult to prove that you actually lost income as a result of your injuries.
- It’s more difficult to provide documentation of your time away from work. Because you are your own boss, it can be difficult to provide something as simple as a letter from your employer or your pay stubs when you’re negotiating a personal injury lawsuit settlement.
- It may be impossible to estimate the income that was lost. Depending on the nature of your self-employment, it may be difficult to estimate exactly how much you would have made in the time you were away from work and recovering.
- It’s hard to avoid your own business, even when you’re hurt. Even if you aren’t feeling up to it and your doctor has advised against it, it’s hard to avoid the temptation to tend to your business and clients—especially if you work from home. Unfortunately, the insurance company could use that as evidence that you’re not as badly hurt as you claim.
If you have been hurt in an Orange County wreck and have questions about recovering compensation for your time away from work, please reach out to an experienced Anaheim accident attorney today at 855-851-2400.