Often times I have clients that have been injured in car accidents and are unable to work. Have you checked to see if you have disability insurance through work (Sunlife, Manulife etc.) that will provide some short term loss of income benefits?
Make sure you inquire of your human resources or supervisor to see if these benefits are available.
Whether or not you have additional disability insurance, you have disability benefits under your own car insurance policy (or the owner’s insurance policy if you were a passenger). The policy provides you with 80% of your weekly income up to a maximum of $400.00 per week. There is a one week ‘qualifying period’ during which no benefit is payable. Make sure that you fill in your own insurance company forms and return them as soon as you can to start the process. Note that your insurer will only pay the disability benefit if you are prevented ‘from performing any and every duty pertaining to your occupation or employment’. If you return to work for an hour a day the insurer will deny you disability benefits – make sure you are ready/able to return fulltime before returning to work. There will likely be a shortfall between whatever disability benefits you are able to claim/obtain and your actual income losses. Those losses will have to be claimed from the driver of the other vehicle – this can be through your lawyer.