Lost Wages Claim Calculator
Calculate lost wages for an injury or wrongful-termination claim from your pay rate, missed time and lost benefits.
How it works
Weekly wage = rate × hours · Lost wages = weekly wage × weeks · Lost benefits = benefit rate × weeks · Total = lost wages + lost benefits
A lost-wages claim reimburses income you could not earn because of an injury or a wrongful job loss. The base is straightforward — your pay rate times the hours and weeks you missed — but a complete claim also captures the value of employer-paid benefits you lost during that time, such as health insurance premiums and retirement contributions. Salaried workers convert their annual salary to an equivalent weekly figure to use the same math.
Worked example
Earning $30/hour for a 40-hour week is $1,200 in weekly wages. Missing 8 weeks loses $9,600 in wages; adding $120/week of lost benefits over 8 weeks adds $960, for $10,560 of total lost income.
Frequently asked questions
How do I prove lost wages?
Employers typically provide a wage-verification letter stating your rate, normal hours and the dates you missed. Pay stubs, tax returns and a doctor’s note tying the absence to the injury back it up.
Can I claim lost future earnings?
Yes, if an injury reduces your ability to work going forward. That "loss of earning capacity" is a separate, expert-driven calculation and is not captured by this simple missed-time estimate.
What about self-employment income?
Self-employed claimants use profit-and-loss statements, invoices and prior tax returns to show the income lost during recovery, since there is no employer pay stub.
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Educational estimate only — not legal, tax or financial advice. Actual settlements, awards and payoffs depend on the facts, jurisdiction and negotiation. Consult a licensed attorney.