Car crashes in Georgia can leave victims in the hospital and struggling with multiple medical issues, ranging from spinal cord injuries and brain injuries to broken bones and amputations. There are obvious costs generated in a collision where someone gets hurt. Those costs include hospital bills and vehicle repair or replacement expenses.
Additionally, someone hurt badly enough to require inpatient care at the hospital or to experience persistent symptoms after a crash will have to consider the wages they will lose because of the wreck. How can someone recoup the wages they’ve lost out on because of a crash?
They file an insurance claim
Every motorist in Georgia must carry liability insurance. In some cases, such as when a crash involves a semi-truck, there may be very large insurance policies attached. However, many drivers in Georgia only buy what the state mandates in insurance coverage. Some people will only have $25,000 in coverage to pay for losses related to bodily injuries. That amount will need to cover both their medical expenses and lost wages. Those with significant injuries requiring long-term medical care or a lengthy leave of absence will often find that they need more than insurance will pay. Others may end up hurt in a crash caused by someone without insurance at all.
They pursue a personal injury lawsuit
Under Georgia state law, those harmed by the negligence or illegal actions of others can ask the courts for financial justice by filing a lawsuit. A personal injury lawsuit may help someone cover months of lost wages because someone could not work or years of future lost earning potential because they cannot continue in the same profession or earn as much as they once did. While insurance claims can only pay, at most, up to the policy limit set by the policyholder when they buy coverage, a personal injury lawsuit could compensate someone for the full amount of the wages they lost. People should not have to accept a major financial hardship because of the failings of another party.
Knowing how to recoup lost wages can be very valuable to those injured in a Georgia car crash. Seeking legal guidance can be a good place to start.