Why Do I Have to Document My Lost Wages?

I was hurt when I fell in on a slippery floor in a grocery store.   I broke my right leg.  I missed ten weeks of work on my construction job.  My lawyer says that we need a statement from my employer stating that I missed ten weeks of work and indicating how much money I would have made had I worked.   Why is that necessary?  I don’t want to hassle my boss with this.

Insurance companies need documentation to evaluate personal injury cases because some people don’t tell the truth about what happened to them or how the injuries they suffered cost them money.    The claims adjuster for the insurance company has to make sure that his or her file demonstrates that they did a good job gathering evidence to properly evaluate the claim.  This includes seeking information from other people, like your boss, to back up what you say.

I am sure that you are telling the truth about the time you missed from work.  The insurance adjuster may think you are, too.  But the adjuster needs to be able to prove to his or her boss that your claim was thoroughly and properly evaluated, and that is why documentation is necessary.  The files of insurance adjusters are evaluated from time-to-time by auditors to make sure that they are not handing out the company’s money without good reason, and thus the insurance adjusters want to make sure that their files reflect a reasonable basis for the decision they made to settle the claim.

An experienced personal injury lawyer should help you get this from your boss.

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