When having a fairly routine operation or a trip to the emergency turns into a medical nightmare, all aspects of your life can be turned upside down — including your career. A doctor or medical professional making a serious mistake can leave you stuck trying to navigate a new normal. In some cases, you may need months or years to recover. Sometimes, your life may never be the same.
A long recovery period can set you back from making the same headway you were on your career before the medical malpractice.
Can you recover your lost future earnings?
When your ability to make a living is entirely thwarted because your injuries from a medical mistake mean that you can never return to work again, it may seem obvious that you can claim lost future income.
It’s not quite so clear, however, to most people that you may also have that right when you can return to work but have missed out on promotions, advancements in your field and other things that somehow diminish your future earnings capacity. Doing so may be an important part of your medical malpractice claim.
What does it take to prove diminished earnings capacity?
Generally, the more exacting your profession and the higher your income, the more likely a gap in your employment will hurt your career. Just the same, it’s not easy to convince a jury without significant testimony from economic and vocational experts. Both may be needed to advance your claim.
If you believe that your career has suffered due to your injuries, make certain that you discuss the issue with your attorney. A medical malpractice claim should include all your losses.