Lost income is usually the most defensible part of an injury claim — it is backed by pay stubs, tax returns, and an employer letter. Getting it right also raises your non-economic damages, because pain and suffering is often estimated as a multiple of your economic losses.
Past lost wages: what counts
Past lost wages cover every day you could not work because of the injury — including time for treatment and recovery. Document them with pay stubs, a letter from your employer stating your rate and missed days, and tax returns if you are self-employed. Beyond base pay, you can often claim lost overtime, tips, commissions, bonuses, and the value of used sick or vacation days — which is why this tool includes a benefits add-on.
Future lost earning capacity
If your injury limits what you can earn going forward — you cannot return to a physical job, must reduce hours, or need a lower-paying role — that lost capacity is compensable. It is genuinely hard to value: real cases use vocational experts and economists who project your career path and discount it to present value. This calculator gives only a rough placeholder (monthly wage × months × capacity reduction). Treat any meaningful future-earnings figure as a reason to get an attorney, not a final number.
Railroad workers: FELA values wages differently
If you were injured working for a railroad, your wage claim runs through FELA, which can include a broader measure of lost earnings (including fringe benefits and future raises) than ordinary state claims — another reason rail-worker cases belong with a FELA-experienced attorney. See the FELA guide. Once you have a wage figure, add it to your medical bills in the settlement estimator to see the full picture.
