How To Prove Your Lost Income
You missed pay because of the accident and want to know what actually proves that.
Proving lost income needs two things read together. One is proof of what you normally earn. The other is proof that you missed that income because of the accident.
A payslip alone only answers the first question. Claims built on a payslip alone often run into trouble for this reason.
Wei Jian works as an admin clerk in Johor Bahru. He was rear-ended on his way to work and put on ten days of medical leave. He assumed his payslips would speak for themselves.
It was only when preparing his claim that he realised something was missing. Nobody had a copy of the medical certificate connecting those missed days to the accident.
The two documents that work together
Your payslips or salary records establish your normal earnings. A few months before the accident is ideal, so a pattern is clear.
Your medical certificate does the other job. It establishes that this specific period was different, and why. A letter from your employer confirming the dates works too. Neither document proves much without the other.
What if you used leave instead of an MC
Some people take annual leave instead of a formal medical certificate. That leave still represents a real loss.
It was time you would otherwise have kept for yourself. A short letter from your employer, confirming the dates and the reason, is usually enough to support this.
What if your employer kept paying you in full
Your salary may have continued unaffected during recovery. If so, there may be little to claim under lost income specifically.
Other costs from the accident can still stand on their own. Medical bills are one example. It is worth checking your actual payslips against the dates you were unwell, since a quiet reduction sometimes happens without clear explanation.
When there is no medical certificate at all
A missed MC does not automatically close this part of a claim. Appointment records can help instead. So can messages to your employer explaining why you were away, or a doctor’s note confirming a consultation. I missed work but have no MC goes through this situation in more depth.
Once your income records and medical proof are gathered together, claiming your lost earnings before trial explains how this evidence is actually used. A road accident claim sets out the wider process around it.
Common questions
Is my payslip enough to prove lost income on its own?
Usually not by itself. A payslip shows what you normally earn, but it does not show that you actually missed work because of the accident. It needs to be paired with a medical certificate or your employer's confirmation of the days you were absent.
What if my pay did not actually drop because I used annual leave instead?
It can still count. Using annual leave to cover time off after an accident is a real loss, since that leave would otherwise have been yours to use freely. A letter from your employer confirming the dates and reason supports this clearly.
My employer paid me as usual during my medical leave. Do I still have a claim for lost income?
If your pay was not actually reduced, there may be little or nothing to claim under this specific head, though other costs from the accident can still apply. Worth checking your payslips against your medical leave dates to be sure nothing was quietly deducted.
What if I missed work but never got a medical certificate?
This is common and does not automatically end this part of a claim. Other evidence, such as appointment records, messages to your employer at the time, or a doctor's note confirming you were seen, can help support it instead.