What is considered loss of income?

The terms “loss of income” and “loss of earning capacity” are often confused when it comes to personal injury cases. Loss of income is the money a plaintiff loses from the date of the injury to the date they can return to work. Loss of earning capacity refers to the money they could have earned but can't because their injuries prevent them from working in that position. Loss of income is a type of economic damage. You suffer a loss of income when your injuries prevent you from working after an accident or personal injury.

The loss can be temporary or permanent, and a total loss of income or a partial loss of income. Almost everything you own and use for personal or investment purposes is a capital asset. Examples of capital assets include a home, personal items, such as household furniture, and stocks or bonds held as investments. When you sell an equity asset, the difference between the adjusted basis of the asset and the amount you earned from the sale is a capital gain or loss.

Usually, the basis of an asset is its cost to the owner, but if you received the asset as a gift or inheritance, see Publication 551, Basis of Assets, for information on its basis. You have a capital gain if you sell the asset for an amount greater than the amount established on your adjusted basis. You have a loss of capital if you sell the asset for a price lower than your adjusted base. Losses from the sale of personal property, such as your home or car, are not tax-deductible. Lost wages refer to the amount of income you were unable to earn because of your injury.

If you were involved in a car accident and had to miss work, they are considered lost wages. This can include days lost immediately after the accident, days off for medical appointments or therapy, or even an extended absence for reasons of recovery. In the personal injury claims process, you can seek compensation for these lost wages to mitigate the financial impact of your injury. Demonstrating the loss of earning potential involves obtaining evidence from medical specialists that explain the extent of your injury. “Net short-term capital loss” means the excess of short-term capital losses (including unused short-term capital losses accumulated from previous years) over short-term capital gains for the year.

A New York personal injury lawyer can help you obtain the testimony of an expert witness to show that you are entitled to full compensation for your losses. The loss of income only takes into account the actual time lost at work and is not based on “estimated conjectures or experts”. A New York personal injury lawyer can help you document your loss of income and your earning potential to maximize the amount you receive for your injury claim. Therefore, even if they were unemployed in the past or at the current time of their injury, this will not prevent the court from awarding compensation for future income-related losses. However, if you suffered a permanent injury and that injury will affect your ability to work for the rest of your life, you may be able to get compensation for the loss of your earning potential.

The dedicated team of personal injury attorneys at Thompson Law is here to guide you through the process, ensuring that all of your monetary losses are accounted for in your claim. Generally, if you hold the asset for more than a year before you dispose of it, your capital gain or loss is long-term. In the complex world of personal injury law, understanding the differences between loss of income and loss of future earnings is crucial for anyone seeking compensation. Always consider your job responsibilities and the impact of your injury on your future professional prospects. You can use the capital loss transfer worksheet found in publication 550 or in the instruction PDF for Schedule D (Form 1040) to calculate the amount you can transfer.

We take certain appropriate security measures to help protect your personal information against accidental loss and against unauthorized access, use or disclosure. Loss of future earnings Potential damages may be due to physical limitations caused by an injury, such as partial or total paralysis, as well as neurological and behavioral damage caused, for example, by traumatic brain injury (TBI). For example, if you suffer a leg injury that prevents you from returning to work, you and your lawyer must calculate the loss of potential income you could have earned in your career over time.