One of the worst parts about being injured after an accident can be the need to rely on those around you to be able to perform the simplest of everyday activities. This can also not be the most convenient set-up for those helping as sacrifices may have to be made – such as time off work. So can this be included in your claim for compensation? Simply put: Yes!
In your claim we look to recover what are called special damages and these include things such as loss of earnings, medical expenses, travel expenses and the subject at hand – care and assistance.
A common miss-conception is that only professional care and assistance can be recovered; but help from family and friends is also recoverable.
The type of help that can be recovered includes:
- Washing and ironing
- Help dressing and with personal hygiene
- Help getting around the house or to appointments
- Changing dressings
- Cleaning
- Shopping
…in full, the things you do everyday which become much harder when suffering from an injury.
We will send out a ‘client care questionnaire‘ which will ask for the average amount of hours help you have received/are receiving and work out an hourly rate to come up with a financial figure to include in your schedule of loss. Of course, these have to be reasonable to your injury, so never overestimate these hours but also do not underestimate!
If you are going to be needing care and assistance for a while we can also look to the future and figure out a figure including these future costs.
Of course if you have paid for care and assistance- keep all invoices to be able to recover the costs.
So if you have been injured and are relying on others for help do not hesitate to contact us today to discuss this further or alternatively speak to one of our advisers on our live chat facility!
