Compensation
Self-employed after an injury: how do you document lost income?
A freelancer’s loss is not simply the total of cancelled invoices. Compare realistic business results with and without the accident.
Separate turnover from profit
An invoice includes revenue, not necessarily the net amount you would have retained. If a job is cancelled, materials or subcontractor costs might also be saved. Conversely, you may still pay rent, subscriptions and other fixed costs while unable to work.
Build the calculation with accounts, invoices and tax information rather than relying only on a bank balance. An accountant may help explain the figures, but the loss still needs to be connected to the accident.
Show the pattern before the injury
Several comparable periods may reveal seasonal changes, growth or unusual one-off contracts. If the business is new, signed orders, a documented pipeline and realistic capacity may be relevant. A business plan alone does not prove that every projected sale would have occurred.
Explain other factors affecting trade. A decline caused partly by market changes must not automatically be attributed entirely to injury. A transparent calculation is more credible than one that ignores inconvenient trading information.
Record reasonable steps to limit loss
Could work be postponed, delegated or completed on reduced hours? Keep records of replacement labour and explain why it was needed. Do not assume that doing some work disproves your injury; document the adjustments and any unsustainable effort involved.
If the injury occurred on a client’s site, also read contractor workplace liability. Establishing who is responsible and calculating business loss are separate stages.
Revisit future earning capacity carefully
A short-term fall in profit does not automatically establish a permanent loss. Medical recovery, retraining options and the type of work may need assessment. Our guide to future earnings explains the questions that arise when limitations continue.
For a preliminary overview you can use the site’s claim calculator, but an online estimate cannot replace analysis of your business records. Ask Injury Lawyer which information is proportionate before commissioning expensive forecasts or reports.
Example: cancelled work and replacement cover
Illustrative example · fictional situation, not a client case
A self-employed tradesperson cannot attend several booked jobs after an accident. Some are postponed, one is cancelled and another is completed by a subcontractor. Counting every original invoice as lost income would miss those differences and could double-count work completed later.
Practical takeaway: Keep a job-by-job record showing what happened, the income actually received, relevant saved costs and any replacement expense. The correct treatment needs an individual assessment.
Where the interruption began with a road collision, the traffic accident guide covers the accident side of the claim. If another vehicle was a truck, support after a truck accident can connect that investigation with the evidence about your business losses.
Business records to gather
- Contracts, bookings and messages about cancelled or postponed work.
- Invoices and accounts covering a representative period before and after the accident.
- Records of work completed later or by somebody else.
- Replacement labour invoices and an explanation of why the help was needed.
- Details of saved costs, insurance payments and other relevant receipts.
- A clear distinction between business turnover, profit and the personal income affected.
Questions you may still have
Can I claim the full value of every missed invoice?
Not automatically. Saved expenses, postponed rather than lost work and the probability that the job would have proceeded must be considered.
What if my business only recently started?
A claim may still be possible, but there may be less historical evidence. Confirmed orders, actual trading records and realistic capacity become especially important.
Sources and legal context
General information about Dutch personal injury claims. Some source material is in Dutch. Your circumstances may require a different assessment.
This guide explains general principles. It is not a decision on liability or the value of an individual claim.