If your accident causes injuries that prevent you from returning to work in the future, you can recover those damages as well.   If this happens to you, you would claim for “impaired earning capacity” or “loss of future earnings.” Your injuries may be permanent, for instance—such as being paralyzed—and might make it impossible for you to do the job that you have been trained to do.   To prove lost earning capacity, you typically need the following evidence: Evidence of past wages, including pay stubs, prior tax returns, and letters from your employer. Testimony from your employer, doctor, and other expert witnesses as to your inability to continue to do your job. Documentation and testimony detailing what you could reasonably have expected to earn in the future were it not for the accident. Determining lost future earnings often depends on the following factors: Your occupation Whether you worked full-time or part-time Your age and life expectancy Whether you suffered a permanent injury Whether you’ll be able to return to work in some form Your education level Your professional goals Though different states have different laws concerning lost future earnings, in general, settlement negotiators, judges, and juries will use the following formula to future out what compensation you deserve: Determine what you would have reasonably made, without the injury. Determine what you will be reasonably certain to make in the future, with the injury. Figure out the difference between the two—that is your lost earning capacity. Even if you weren’t employed at the time of the accident, you may still recover for lost earning capacity if you are determined to have an ambition of future employment that is “reasonably certain” to occur.