Injuries suffered in an accident may be so serious that they restrict your ability to work long into the future, costing you substantial income. You are entitled to seek compensation for present and future loss of income if your injuries were caused by someone else’s negligence. While it is relatively easy to prove the amount of money you lost by missing work in the immediate aftermath of your accident, it is more challenging to prove how your future earning capacity will be reduced.
In Florida, an injured person is permitted to recover future economic damages when the long-term effects of the injury are “reasonably certain.” This can include loss of income due to a diminished capacity to engage in your occupation. Notably, the Florida Supreme Court has rejected the idea that a person must be permanently injured in order to recover future damages.
Typically, proof of future lost wages requires testimony from medical and vocational experts about why you cannot do your former job and about how much income you will lose as a result.