How to Claim Lost Wages After an Accident in New York | Hecht, Kleeger & Damashek, P.C.

After suffering a debilitating injury in an accident, your entire life could be changed. In addition to the physical injuries you sustain, your injuries may be so severe that you cannot continue working. If this happens, you may lose out on wages you need to continue supporting yourself and your family.

With help from an experienced New York personal injury attorney, you can get the most out of your lost income and hold the liable party accountable.

Reach out to our team at Hecht, Kleeger & Damashek, P.C. for a free consultation today at (212) 490-5700 to learn more about what is next for your personal injury lawsuit.

What are Lost Wages?

After an accident, your injuries may be so severe that you can no longer continue working. This could continue temporarily until your injuries heal or permanently if you are dealing with a permanent disability. In either case, not being able to return to work means you will not be able to earn a paycheck. This could significantly impact your ability to provide for yourself and your family.

Fortunately, through no-fault insurance coverage, you may be able to recover a portion of your lost wages through personal injury protection coverage (PIP), which is designed to compensate injury victims for a loss of income and medical expenses.

Lost wages can account for various damages, some of which you may not know, including:

  • Your overtime hours, which include any number of hours you work over a 40-hour workweek
  • Your hourly wages, which can be calculated by multiplying the number of hours you traditionally work every day by the amount of money you earn each hour
  • Your vacation days, which you may be required to use by your employer if you have to take time off
  • Your sick days, which you may be required to use to make up for the time you had to take off due to your injuries
  • Any tips you may have lost out on from not being able to work
  • The loss of potential bonuses, which could be proven by showing a history of earning bonuses from your employer
  • Loss of employee perks, such as gym memberships, vehicles, company smartphones, and other benefits

What’s the Minimum Coverage Required in New York?

When you are injured in a car accident, you will generally file a claim with your own insurance company because New York is a no-fault state for auto insurance purposes. This means you are required to carry personal injury protection coverage, which will cover the costs of your medical expenses and lost wages, no matter who is responsible for causing the accident.

Under New York law, your mandatory minimum amount of auto insurance coverage for every accident is $50,000 in personal injury protection (PIP) coverage.

Does No-Fault Coverage Work with Other Injuries?

You may be entitled to compensation for your lost wages in other types of accidents. Although you may not be able to recover compensation through an auto insurance claim, you may be eligible for compensation through your employer’s workers’ compensation insurance provider or by filing a no-fault disability claim. To qualify, you may need a severe injury that keeps you out of work for a minimum of four weeks.

These no-fault disability benefits could compensate you for your medical expenses and a portion of your lost income. You may also receive up to $25 per day for “reasonable and necessary” expenses and up to $2,000 and death benefits where applicable.

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What’s the Process for Recovering Wages Look Like?

When you are ready to move forward with a no-fault claim, your first step should be to contact an attorney. You never want to go into negotiations with the insurance company alone, as you will increase your risk of being taken advantage of or pressured into accepting less than your claim is worth.

Your attorney will then work on building a case against the liable party. Once we have a strong case, we will file a claim with the insurance company. Generally, we will have a maximum of 30 days to do this. From there, the insurance company will reach out, and your lawyer will provide them with the facts they need to continue with the processing of your claim.

After the insurance company has the answers needed to process your claim, they will likely want to negotiate for a lesser settlement. Your attorney will counteroffer and continue negotiating until a settlement offer has been reached. However, it should be noted that this will only cover a portion of your damages and loss of income. If you hope to recover maximum compensation for your lost wages and other damages, you may need to be prepared to go to court.

Why a New York Personal Injury Lawyer Will Benefit You

Having a New York personal injury attorney on your side helping you recover your lost wages in their entirety is essential. Not only will your attorney be able to help you identify all of your lost wages and related damages, but we will be able to help you go up against the insurance company, hold the liable party accountable to the fullest extent of the law, and to begin rebuilding your life after your accident.

Call HKD for Help Recovering Your Lost Wages

You have the right to be compensated for your lost wages in their entirety when someone else is responsible for causing your injuries. Our experienced New York personal injury attorneys at Hecht, Kleeger & Damashek, P.C. are here to help you get through these difficult times and recover your losses in full.

Find out more about how the personal injury claims process works and the other types of damages you may be able to recover when you contact our office for a no-cost, risk-free consultation. To get started today, you can reach us by phone at (212) 490-5700 or through our quick contact form.

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When I spoke to Mr.Noah Reiss he gave me valuable legal advice. Connected the dots who and why. He is a great asset to this firm. Will call him again as a friend. Thank you so much.

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08/11/2021

Ross Raggio, did an amazing job on my case. The office staff was responsive and very helpful to my questions and concerns. I had a very good experience. I highly recommend this firm.

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I am extremely satisfied and pleased most of all grateful for the services of Jonathan and his team! It is such a relief to have a strong team supporting you through a process that’s stressful. Thank you again for everything.

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03/01/2021

Hetch,Kleeger & Damashek, P.C., is the law office I highly recommend. My attorney Judd Kleeger, accomplished to represent me, support my needs & secure my future after suffering a traumatic accident. Other lawyers couldn’t guarantee this to me but Judd…

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02/25/2021

I can say without hesitation that if you are injured due to someone else’s fault, that no one will fight harder and more passionately for you than Jordan Hecht and Judd Kleeger. I have worked side by side with them…

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02/23/2021

Amazing job, settled my case in 90 days.

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I highly recommend the law firm of Hecht, Kleeger & Damashek – as well as my attorney, Jordan Hecht. Jordan was able to answer all of my questions and put me at ease. He was always responsive and patient. He…

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02/23/2021

I have referred numerous cases to Judd Kleeger and the team at HKD. I feel very confident when i refer a client that they will be treated with the highest regard. Each of my referrals has had very positive experiences…

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01/29/2021

I was always able to reach my attorney Judd Kleeger with any concern I had about my case. He responded timely and with the utmost courtesy to my sometimes desperate phone calls and email. He knew exactly what to do…

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01/19/2021

The attorneys at Hecht, Kleeger & Damashek are smart, professional, responsive and dedicated to achieving the best results for their clients. Most importantly, they are trustworthy and genuinely good people who you can depend upon.

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01/18/2021

Judd Kleeger and his team are extremely competent, super professional and have achieved consistently better results than I or my clients had anticipated. He is my “go to” PI team. This was my experience over a decade and not just…

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01/15/2021

I have known Judd Kleeger for over a decade now. By far the smartest hardest working attorney I have ever dealt with. His advice has been spot on time and time again. Highly recommend him.

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01/15/2021

I retained Judd Kleeger for a personal injury case. I would, without hesitation, recommend Judd, and his firm, for anyone who finds themselves in a situation that demands a tenacious advocate who will not stop fighting until he gets results.

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01/15/2021

I can’t recommend Judd Kleeger enough. He is without a doubt the most professional lawyer I’ve encountered. Judd Kleeger is diligent and quick in his responses, always making sure his clients are in the right hands. I’ve never had to…

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01/14/2021

Judd Kleeger is an exceptional attorney who makes sure to get the best possible outcome for his client. He is always available, and is knowledgeable, prepared and dedicated to his clients. He is not afraid to go to trial and…

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01/14/2021

Mr. Judd Kleeger and his team at Hecht, Kleeger & Damashek are great! They always provide very thoughtful and caring advice. Mr. Kleeger is extremely professional and very easy to work with.

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01/06/2021

We quickly had to get legal counsel and we contacted Jordan Hecht. The rapport and guidance was outstanding at all times, prompt, timely and open for calls and updates. I can’t thank Jordan enough for his care, work and expertise….

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12/29/2020

Had a great experience with attorney Ross Raggio. He was professional and attentive every step of the way – would highly recommend.

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12/28/2020

Mr. Ross Raggio and his team at Hecht, Kleeger & Damashek, P.C., provided excellent legal services. His team and him were absolutely great, always returning calls or emails when we had questions about the case. Always very cordial, caring and…

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12/11/2020

My wife and i are very grateful to Mr. Jordan Hecht for his sincere compassion and legal assistance during one of the most challenging time in our lives. He was extremely professional and answered all of our concerns. Mr. Hecht…

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12/10/2020

Very professional and very responsive. I would highly recommend this firm to anyone in need of an attorney. The attorney Ross Raggio, who was personally assigned to my case consistently followed through and was able to bring the case to…

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12/08/2020

Mr. Ross Raggio went above and beyond to settle my case during the height of the pandemic, a time when my options appeared limited and the likelihood of a satisfactory resolution seemed slim. He was responsive and professional, and was…

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12/07/2020

I was a sole practitioner specializing in personal injury law in NYC for more than 36 years. When I decided to retire, I had to make several critical decisions before terminating my practice. To whom should I refer my clients…

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12/07/2020

Ross was always available and working with my best interests, also very thorough with any questions I had along the case. Will recommend to others!

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12/04/2020

Jordan Hecht of Hecht, Kleeger & Damashek is the best lawyer I’ve ever worked with.  He is smart, tough, and very professional. I highly recommend the firm and could not have asked for a better outcome.

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12/03/2020

The HKD law firm is highly professional, responsive and caring. They were willing to handle my case when other firms declined. Not only did we win our case, but received a huge settlement.

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12/03/2020

My representation by Jordan Hecht and the whole staff at Hecht, Kleeger and Damashek was top notch professional and very productive

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12/02/2020

I have had the pleasure to work alongside Ross Raggio on several matters. He is an extremely talented attorney with an exceptional understanding of the law. I would recommend him and HK&D to anyone looking for a personal injury attorney.

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12/02/2020

I came to know the firm through my relationship with one of the partners, Jordan Hecht. Jordan and I became close friends in law school. I have since referred several cases to Jordan and his firm ranging from a mesothelioma…

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12/02/2020

From the moment that I contacted this Law firm and got assigned Mr. Ross. They have been nothing but helpful, Especially Mr. Ross. In the time that Mr. Ross took my case, it took him 3 months to a get…

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10/27/2020

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I cannot speak highly enough about this firm. The situation that necessitated my need for legal representation was very stressful on me and my family and the lawyers here were with me every step of the way. I could always…

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07/05/2015

I retained Hecht, Kleeger & Damashek for a serious personal injury case. They were very professional and managed to obtain a settlement for me that far exceeded my expectations. I would strongly recommend this firm for anyone’s legal needs.

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07/05/2015

After meeting a half dozen lawyers at different firms, I decided to go to Hecht, Kleeger and Damashek. As soon as I met Jon Damashek, I knew I had to look no further. Mr. Damashek made me feel at ease…

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07/05/2015

After meeting with Jon Damashek I knew immediately he was the right attorney for me. I had met with other attorneys in the past, but Jon’s experience, knowledge, and track record were most impressive. I highly recommend Jon Damashek and…

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07/05/2015

I know all three named partners at this firm and highly recommend them. They are very professional and tireless advocates for their clients. If you need a personal injury attorney, you cannot do better than Hecht, Kleeger & Damashek.

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07/05/2015

I have worked with countless attorneys over the years and Jon Damashek stands out among them. I have seen first hand him advocate for his clients vigorously. He fights for the rights of the seriously injured, does not back down…

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07/05/2015

I had the opportunity to work with Jon Damashek and had an amazing experience. I have known Jon for many years and always felt very comfortable relying on his expertise and knowledge of the law and more importantly his ability…

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I cannot recommend Jon Damashek highly enough. I attribute the favorable outcome to my case to his consummate and tireless dedication and tenacity. Just as important, he was truly there with me every step of the way. He was very…

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06/05/2019

I had the opportunity of having this amazing team of lawyers work on my case. When I first met with Jordan Hecht and Michael Kusz, I really liked their energy and the spunk that they had, it meant business and…

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05/01/2015

“I had the opportunity to work with Jon Damashek and had an amazing experience. I have known Jon for many years and always felt very comfortable relying on his expertise, knowledge of the law, and more importantly – his ability…

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05/01/2015

“I cannot recommend Jon Damashek highly enough. I attribute the favorable outcome of my case to his consummate and tireless dedication and tenacity. Just as important, he was truly there with me every step of the way. He was very…

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