NC Lost Wages Calculator

The Bottom Line

Lost wages are one of the largest components of most NC car accident claims. They include not just your missed paychecks, but also overtime, benefits, self-employment income, and PTO you were forced to use. Enter your details below to calculate the total economic impact of your time away from work.

What Counts as Lost Wages in NC

North Carolina recognizes a broad definition of lost wages in personal injury claims. If the income or benefit would have been earned but for the accident, it is generally compensable. This includes:

• Regular wages -- Hourly pay or salary for the time you missed
• Overtime -- If you regularly worked overtime, those lost hours count
• Bonuses and commissions -- Missed performance bonuses, sales commissions, or incentive pay
• Self-employment income -- Lost business revenue and profits
• Employee benefits -- Health insurance premiums, retirement contributions, and other employer-provided benefits
• PTO and sick time -- The monetary value of paid leave you were forced to use for recovery

Calculate Your Lost Wages

Documenting Your Lost Wages

To build a strong lost wages claim in NC, you need specific documentation:

For Employed Workers

1. Employer verification letter -- Ask your employer (typically HR) for a letter on company letterhead confirming your job title, pay rate, normal hours, dates of absence, and total wages lost. This is the single most important document.
2. Pay stubs -- Provide pay stubs from at least 3-6 months before the accident to establish your normal earnings pattern, including regular overtime.
3. Tax returns -- W-2s and tax returns corroborate your income claims and are harder for insurance companies to dispute.
4. Medical documentation -- Doctor's notes specifically stating you could not work, with dates. The medical records must connect your inability to work directly to your accident injuries.

For Self-Employed Individuals

Self-employment lost wages are harder to prove but absolutely recoverable:

1. Tax returns -- At least 2-3 years of Schedule C or business tax returns to establish your income pattern
2. Profit and loss statements -- Monthly P&L statements showing the decline in income after the accident
3. Client contracts or invoices -- Specific jobs, contracts, or clients you lost due to the accident
4. Bank statements -- Business account statements showing income patterns before and after
5. Expert testimony -- In complex cases, a forensic accountant may be needed to establish the true income loss

Future Earning Capacity

The calculator above covers past and current lost wages. If your injuries will affect your ability to earn income in the future, that is a separate and potentially much larger category of damages called lost earning capacity (or lost future earnings).

Future earning capacity claims may apply if:

• Your injuries prevent you from returning to your previous occupation
• You can work but at reduced hours or capacity
• You need to change careers to a lower-paying field due to physical limitations
• You have a permanent disability that affects your lifetime earnings

Calculating future lost earning capacity typically requires:

• A vocational rehabilitation expert to assess your work limitations
• An economist to project lifetime earnings losses
• Medical testimony about the permanence of your limitations

How Lost Wages Affect Your Settlement Value

Lost wages directly increase the economic damages in your claim. In NC personal injury cases, the settlement calculation typically works like this:

1. Economic damages = medical bills + lost wages + property damage + other out-of-pocket costs
2. Pain and suffering = economic damages multiplied by a factor based on injury severity (typically 1.5x to 5x)
3. Total claim value = economic damages + pain and suffering

Because lost wages are part of the economic damages base, they also increase the pain and suffering multiplier calculation. A $20,000 lost wages claim does not just add $20,000 to your settlement -- it increases the entire calculation.

Frequently Asked Questions

Frequently Asked Questions

What counts as lost wages in an NC car accident claim?▾

Lost wages include all income you would have earned but for the accident. This includes regular wages (hourly or salary), overtime you regularly worked, bonuses and commissions you missed, self-employment income lost, employer-paid benefits you lost access to (health insurance, retirement contributions), and PTO or sick days you were forced to use for recovery. NC courts recognize all of these as compensable economic damages.

How do I prove lost wages for my NC car accident claim?▾

You will need documentation from your employer: a letter confirming your dates of absence, your rate of pay, and the total wages lost. Pay stubs from before and after the accident help establish your normal earnings. For self-employed individuals, tax returns (typically 2-3 years), profit and loss statements, client contracts, and bank statements showing income patterns are used. Medical records linking your injuries to the time off work are also essential.

Can I claim lost wages if I used PTO or sick days after my accident?▾

Yes. Under NC law, PTO and sick days have monetary value. If you were forced to use accrued paid time off to recover from accident injuries, that represents a real economic loss -- you no longer have those days available for their intended purpose. Courts and insurance companies generally recognize the value of consumed PTO as a compensable loss.

What is the difference between lost wages and lost earning capacity?▾

Lost wages cover income you have already missed from the time of the accident until now. Lost earning capacity covers future income you will lose because your injuries permanently affect your ability to work -- whether through reduced hours, inability to perform your previous job, or total disability. Lost earning capacity typically requires expert economic analysis and is a separate category of damages in NC claims.