Loss of Employment Income Lawyer

Did your car, truck, or motorcycle accident make it impossible for you to return to work? You need that money to live, and Merchant Law can help.

Loss of earnings and loss of earning capacity are two mechanisms in Alberta law which exist to replace lost income from an accident. If you win your case you will get money to cover your inability to work.

Winning isn’t guaranteed, nor is the payout. The insurance companies responsible for providing these funds aren’t going to volunteer to pay them. In fact, they’re going to do everything in their power to undermine your claim. They don’t care that you need this money to survive. In fact, it’s in their best interests to tell themselves that you’re faking or exaggerating your lack of capacity.

That’s why you need the help of a qualified lawyer, someone who will help you fight the good fight.

Loss of Earnings

Loss of earnings is the short-term loss of income from the job you held at the time of the accident. For example, if you make $800 a week and were out of work for six weeks then you could recover $4800.

Loss of earnings can cover you for a short period of time if you missed work and get paid by the hour, or even for a short period of time if you lost your job due to medical appointments after your accident.

Loss of Earnings Capacity

For many accident victims a loss of earnings claim will be enough, in addition to their other injuries winnings, to get them back on their feet. Yet some will be so injured that there will be no way for them to return to work.

That’s where the loss of earnings capacity claim comes in.

Can’t go back into the field you were in? Can’t enter a comparable field at a comparable rate of pay? Can’t return to work at all? This is the type of compensation your lawyer should be seeking on your behalf.

Your lawyer will have to prove four claims to be successful, as the loss of earnings capacity standard is much higher. Your lawyer must help you prove:

Your accident has left you less capable of earning income from any type of employment.
Your injuries make you less marketable to employers, which means it’s harder for you to get a job.
You can’t take advantage of the same job opportunities as would have been available to you had you not been injured.
You are now less valuable to yourself as a person capable of earning income.

The award amount varies, and the number of years the award amount might cover varies. Some victims get six to eight years to train their way to a new career. Others get enough to support them for the rest of their lives. Much depends on your unique case, and your lawyer’s skill.

Why Merchant Law?

We have a vast network of expert witnesses like physicians and forensic economists who can help convince a judge, jury, or defendant that your injuries impact your work life. They can testify intelligently as to the degree of impact as well.

We have one goal: helping you get as much money as possible. On average our clients get ten times more than they would alone, even after they account for our fees. We also work on contingency, which means we don’t get paid unless you do.

Get started by scheduling a free consultation today. Call 403.237.7777 or visit our office at:

3rd Floor – 4915 54 Street, Red Deer AB, T4N 2G7