Can I recover lost wages?
Yes, in two layers.
PIP pays 60 percent of lost gross income, sharing the same $10,000 limit as medical benefits. It requires a treating provider's written statement that you couldn't work, plus employer wage verification.
The liability claim covers the remainder — the other 40 percent, anything beyond the PIP limit, and future losses.
What you need to document. Dates missed and the reason. Pay records showing your normal earnings. A written work restriction from a provider, issued at the time rather than retroactively. Employer verification. Records of missed overtime, lost shifts, and used sick or vacation time — which is a real loss even though you were paid.
The recurring failure is not getting the work restriction in writing while you're out. An after-the-fact letter carries much less weight than a contemporaneous one.
Self-employment is harder and covered next.
Get the written restriction while you're out of work. Retroactive doesn't carry the same weight. ---
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