If you’ve been in a car accident in Nashville, you may wonder if you can be compensated for the paid time off (PTO) you used due to your injuries. The answer is yes; you can be compensated. Since your PTO is considered a work benefit, and if someone else caused your accident and is found liable, that PTO should be paid as part of your settlement. Here’s what you need to know about this important part of your compensation, as well as what other damages you may be able to recover in a Tennessee car accident case.
Paid Time Off and Other Types of Car Accident Damages
Paid time off varies from each employer, and depending on your work’s policies, you may need to use it while you recover from your injuries. There are certain situations related to the car accident or your resulting injuries that may require you to use your paid time off from work. These may include the following:
- Hospital stays
- Follow-up doctor appointment
- Rehabilitation or therapy sessions
- Travel to seek medical care at a different location
- Legal or insurance consultations
- Recovering at home
If you need to use PTO to cover time off from work, you will not have it to use later for what you may intend to use it for, such as a vacation or family function. An experienced lawyer understands that PTO is an important work benefit and can calculate what it is worth to add to the settlement amount you may be awarded. The amount would be calculated based on your pay rate or earnings for the days you would have worked and included as part of the lost income damage.
To provide proof that you used paid time off, your lawyer can request a statement from your employer that details the days you used it due to your injury. Other documentation that can be used as evidence that you used PTO due to the accident and your related injury includes the following:
- Handbook from your employer that details the PTO policy
- Medical records showing the dates you had appointments or treatments
- Pay stubs
- Tax documentation
- Videos or photos
For a free legal consultation, call (615) 807 7900
Other Types of Car Accident Damages
In addition to compensation for PTO, you may also be able to recover other damages in a Tennessee car accident case, including:
- Medical expenses. You may be able to recover the cost of all past and future medical treatment related to your car accident injuries. This can include the cost of ambulance transportation, hospitalization, surgeries, doctor’s visits, prescriptions, physical therapy, and more.
- Lost income or wages. If you missed work or are unable to work in the future due to your injuries, you may recover lost wages.
- Pain and suffering. You may be able to recover compensation for the physical pain and emotional suffering that was caused by your injuries.
- Property damage. If your vehicle was damaged or destroyed in the crash, you might be able to recover the cost of repairs or replacement of the vehicle.
A Lawyer Can Help You Get the Compensation You Deserve
While it is possible to negotiate with an insurance company on your own after a car accident, it is often in your best interest to have an experienced lawyer on your side. Insurance companies are businesses whose goal is to make money—not pay out on claims. An experienced car accident lawyer can help ensure that you get the full amount of damages you’re entitled to under the law.
If you were injured in a car accident and need to use your paid time off from work while you are recovering, contact GriffithLaw today. To schedule a no-obligation consultation with our experienced lawyers, contact us online or call us at 615-807-7900. We work on a contingency fee basis, so you are not required to pay any upfront costs to pursue a claim. We charge no fee if there is no recovery.
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