Ohio Revised Code §2315.18 (A)(2)(a) allows injured parties to recover for economic loss, including “all wages, salaries, or other compensation lost as a result of injury or loss to person or property that is subject of a tort action.”
It has further been held that the use of employment wage benefits as a result of another’s negligence, such as sick pay can also be recovered from the negligent party. William E. Queen v. Timothy L. Logan, Sr., U.S. Dist. LEXIS 91115 (2006). This also extends to the use of short-term and long-term disability benefits, vacation time and paid time off.
Insurance companies will often try to deny payment of these benefits and take advantage of unrepresented accident victims that do not properly present full wage claims. If you have missed work or used other employment benefits as a result of an accident, you are entitled to recover those amounts from the negligent party. It is important that an injured party consult with his or her attorney to make sure the lost wage claim is presented to recover all lost benefits. However, remember a lost wage claim is only one of many important considerations when evaluating your personal injury claim as a whole.
The personal injury lawyers at Cowan & Hilgeman have recovered millions in compensation for our clients. Our lawyers create plans of attack for each case specific to the client’s needs and expectations. The lawyers at Cowan & Hilgeman handle claims involving personal injury, medical malpractice, nursing home negligence and product liability. We routinely recover compensation on cases that other law firms reject. We offer free case evaluations and only get paid an attorney fee if we win your case.