You usually have 3 years from the crash to sue in Massachusetts, and future lost income is provable if you back it up with solid medical limits, a clear work history, and real wage records.

Start with the two things insurers fight hardest: whether your injury is still limiting you and whether that limitation really costs you money.

For the medical side, get records that spell out restrictions in plain English: no lifting over 20 pounds, no ladder work, no long driving, no overtime, no full shifts, no repetitive motion, no return to your old job. A bare diagnosis is not enough. You want office notes, imaging, referrals, neuropsych testing for a concussion if needed, physical therapy records, and a doctor letter on permanent impairment, expected future treatment, and whether you've hit maximum medical improvement.

For the money side, gather proof of what your work life looked like before the crash and what changed after:

• Pay stubs, W-2s, tax returns, and overtime history
• A letter from your employer showing missed time, reduced hours, lost promotion track, or job duties you can't do
• Attendance records and performance reviews from before the crash
• Job postings or wage data showing what your field pays in Worcester County
• If you work in the hospital corridor around Worcester or commute toward Mass General, Brigham, or Dana-Farber, proof that physical limits now block that role or commute

If the wreck happened on the Mass Pike or another limited-access highway during snow or black ice, get the Massachusetts State Police crash report. If it was on a city street, get the Worcester Police report. Those reports do not prove future losses by themselves, but they lock down the crash date, location, and basic fault story.

If your symptoms got worse months later, do not "tough it out." Gaps in treatment let the insurer argue a nor'easter commute, a new fall, or just normal aging caused your problems instead.