How Can I Claim Lost Wages After An Accident If I’m Self-Employed in Louisiana?

If you’re self-employed and you suffer an accident because someone else was at fault, you can claim lost income in Louisiana. The challenge is higher because you don’t have a traditional paycheck, but with the right documentation and legal support from the Louisiana personal injury attorneys of LJBLegal you stand a much better chance of recovering what you deserve.

Can I Claim Lost Wages as a Self-Employed Person in Louisiana?

Yes, under Louisiana law, if another person caused your accident, you may be entitled to compensation for lost wages, even if you work for yourself. Unlike hourly workers or salaried employees, you don’t have a boss to write a letter or a pay stub to show, so it takes more work to prove your income loss. The attorneys of LJBLegal understand this and know how to build a claim that makes your earnings clear and your damages known.

How To Prove Lost Wages If You’re Self-Employed

To prove lost wages when self-employed, gather tax returns, profit and loss statements, and invoices. Use medical records to show why you couldn’t work. Document canceled jobs or contracts, and include expert-backed claims for lost future income. Track extra business expenses from hiring help during recovery to strengthen your case.

1. Gather Your Financial Records
   Collect tax returns, profit and loss statements, invoices, and billing records from the last few years. These documents show how much you were earning before the accident and what you likely would have earned if it hadn’t happened.
2. Prove the Impact of Your Injury
   Use your medical records and a doctor’s note to explain why you couldn’t work and how long it took to recover.
3. Document Lost Opportunities
   Save emails, signed contracts, work orders, and project proposals. If you had to cancel meetings or turn down work, this shows exactly what you lost.
4. Include Future Earnings If You Can’t Work the Same
   If your injury limits what kind of work you can do or how much, you may also be able to claim lost future earning capacity. This usually requires expert support and a strong legal team.
5. Track Any Extra Business Expenses
   If you had to pay someone else to take over your work while you were recovering, those costs could also be part of your claim.

Can I Still File a Lost Wages Claim If I Was Paid in Cash?

It’s very difficult to prove lost wages if you were paid in cash, especially if there are no tax returns or official records. While not impossible, these types of claims face much more scrutiny from insurance companies.

• Lack of Official Records: Without tax filings, pay stubs, or invoices, there is little to show what your income was.
• Hard to Prove Consistent Income: Insurance companies want to see a pattern. Cash income rarely offers this kind of documentation.
• Insurers Require Proof: A general statement that you lost money isn’t enough. You’ll need bank records, personal logs, or witness statements—if available.

How Can I Build a Case for Lost Wages With Cash Income?

To build a lost wages case with cash income, collect all possible proof: medical records, client messages, or witness statements. Keep detailed logs of missed work and expenses. Be aware that unreported income may pose legal risks.

1. Gather Any Evidence You Can: Medical records, photos of your injury, emails or texts from the person who paid you, logs of hours worked, and witness statements from people who knew about your jobs can help.
2. Track Expenses and Missed Jobs: Even handwritten records, text messages, or messages from clients could support your case.
3. Understand the Legal Risks: Being paid under the table can create tax or legal problems, which may complicate your claim.
4. Know When It May Be Possible: If you were doing casual labor and paid less than $600 by someone not in business, you might still have a chance to file a claim.

Why Is It So Hard for Self-Employed Workers to Prove Lost Income?

It’s hard for self-employed workers to prove lost income because they lack regular paychecks and consistent earnings. Variable income and seasonal work make it tough to show clear losses. Insurance companies often exploit this uncertainty, challenging your documentation to reduce or deny compensation for lost wages.

• No Regular Paychecks: Without standard employee records, it’s harder to prove how much income was lost.
• Income That Changes Week to Week: If your work is seasonal or based on contracts, insurers may question your projections.
• Insurance Companies Use This Against You: They know proving income loss is harder when you’re self-employed, and they’ll try to pay you less.

How Can an Attorney Help Me Claim Lost Wages?

A Metairie personal injury lawyer helps claim lost wages by gathering tax records, invoices, and contracts to document income. They work with experts to project variable earnings and calculate missed opportunities. Lawyers also negotiate with insurers and, if needed, take your case to court to ensure fair compensation—especially when insurers undervalue self-employed income.

• Builds the Right Documentation: The attorneys of LJBLegal help collect the right mix of tax returns, contracts, billing records, and financials.
• Handles Complex Income Patterns: If your income varies month to month, they can use financial experts to project what you likely would have earned.
• Includes Missed Opportunities: They know how to document the value of canceled contracts or lost business deals.
• Negotiates With the Insurance Company: A strong lawyer knows how to push back if an insurer undervalues your claim.
• Prepares for Court If Needed: If the insurer won’t offer what’s fair, the attorneys of LJBLegal are ready to fight for what you’re owed.

What Should I Do Next If I Lost Self-Employment Income After an Accident?

If you were injured and couldn’t work your usual self-employed job or run your business, you may be able to get compensation for that lost income. But these claims are harder to prove, especially if you were paid in cash or have irregular earnings.

The New Orleans personal injury lawyers of LJBLegal understand what it takes to make these claims strong. They’ll help you gather the right records, include all possible earnings, and deal with the insurance company. If needed, they’ll bring in experts and fight to get every dollar you’re owed.

You don’t have to figure this out on your own. Contact LJBLegal today to get the help and answers you need.