How Does Being Paid “Under the Table” Affect a Personal Injury Claim?
When an employer pays you with cash or through another undocumented transfer like Venmo or Paypal, that means you are being paid “under the table,” or off the record. While receiving immediate monetary income can be a tempting proposition, there are many consequences you can face if you accept that type of pay. One of the main issues is that taxes aren’t being taken out of employee paychecks, and the government has no proof of you working for the company.
Even if the pay seems like a good idea, it can be your downfall in a personal injury case. There are many ways why getting paid under the table can cause challenges. Although with the right lawyer, it can be possible to fight and win a personal injury claim after being paid “under the table,” it’s much better for you to do things right the first time around. Here’s a look at how getting injured while working for cash can impact your worker’s compensation claim.
Consequences of Working Under the Table in a Personal Injury Case
If you are injured while working or seek compensation from an employer for negligence and a disregard for your safety, you may encounter problems if you were paid under the table and off the record. In some personal injury cases, your injuries may stop you from working and completing your daily responsibilities. When you are paid under the table, issues involving taxes and proof of income can restrict your right to recover compensation for the harm you incur due to the accident.
Problems With Proof of Income
In order to recover compensation from your employer, you’ll need to provide proof of income so the courts can determine the amount of money you are eligible to receive. Unfortunately, if you’ve been paid under the table in cash, you won’t have the ability to provide a historical record of how much you’ve earned up to the point of your injury.
In addition to this, you also won’t be able to provide proof of any past raises and their timing, which could sway the judge regarding your future earning potential in instances where you may soon be eligible for another raise. Consequently, you may not be able to receive financial compensation for lost wages and medical fees.
Tax Complications
The majority of people paid under the table don’t generally take it upon themselves to disclose their earnings to the IRS or pay taxes on those earnings. Not only can this get you into serious trouble with the IRS, but it can also complicate and negatively impact your personal injury claim. Unreported taxes create many issues when proving your income for a personal injury claim. A judge is not likely to look favorably on an individual who tries to avoid paying taxes but demands compensation when they are injured.
Receiving pay under the table is illegal, and the law protects individuals from employers taking advantage of employees and withholding pay. It’s essential to avoid businesses wanting to pay under the table and often hint at unprofessional and untrustworthy workplaces.
There Is Still Hope – Our Workers Compensation Attorneys Fight for The Rights of Under the Table Employees
Although being paid under the table certainly creates complications when fighting a personal injury case, it’s not impossible to win. A highly dependable workers’ compensation lawyer at Mintz Law Firm has experience working around these complications and problems to help you recover from your injuries and financial losses. With our positive past results and testimonials from clients, we know that our legal representation can help you and your case.
Our main goal is to make sure you have honest and dependable legal representation for your claim. Often, situations are unavoidable and cause problems in the long run, but with our help, you can feel confident that we will use our knowledge and resources so your case can have the best possible outcome.
Call (303) 462-2999 or fill out our contact form for a free consultation today.