Disclaimer: This article is for educational purposes only and does not offer legal advice.
Detailed Answer
Under Michigan’s no-fault auto insurance law, you may recover lost-wage benefits when an auto accident leaves you unable to work. See MCL 500.3108. To support your claim, assemble clear, contemporaneous records showing your earnings, your employer’s confirmation of lost time, and the connection between your injury and missed work.
- Employer Verification: A signed statement or affidavit from your employer confirming your job title, wage rate, usual hours, and the exact dates you missed work due to injury.
- Pay Stubs and Payroll Records: Recent pay stubs, direct-deposit receipts, or payroll summaries for the period immediately before and after the accident. These detail your regular earnings and overtime.
- Tax Documents: W-2 forms (for employees) or 1099 forms and Schedule C (for contractors/self-employed). These prove your annual income baseline.
- Timesheets and Work Logs: Daily or weekly time cards showing hours worked. Electronic time‐tracking prints can serve as reliable evidence.
- Tax Returns and Profit & Loss Statements: For self-employed individuals, provide federal income tax returns and year-to-date profit & loss statements to verify your net earnings.
- Medical Records: Physician notes, hospital records, and treatment dates demonstrating your injury and the medically prescribed recovery period that prevented you from working.
- Benefit Offset Documentation: Statements for short-term disability, sick leave pay, or other wage‐replacement benefits you received. Michigan law allows coordination of benefits, so insurers need to know what you’ve already collected.
- Correspondence with Insurer: Copies of written notices to and from your no-fault insurer, including proof of your claim filing and insurer responses.
- Affidavits from Co-Workers or Clients: If available, sworn statements verifying your pre-accident duties and hours, and confirming you did not work during recovery.
Helpful Hints
- Gather records promptly: Delays can lead to disputes about the accuracy of your wage figures.
- Keep originals and send copies: Preserve your originals; insurers only need copies.
- Request employer verification in writing: A written statement carries more weight than a verbal one.
- Track correspondence: Note dates you submit records to your insurer or attorney.
- Maintain a recovery journal: Record daily symptoms and work limitations to buttress medical evidence.
- Consult an attorney early: A lawyer can help identify and organize all necessary documents.