Compensation For Replacement Services: Factors And Proof

As an auto accident victim, you deserve compensation for all losses related to the accident. For example, the defendant should compensate you for all the house chores that you cannot do due to your injury. Below are a few factors that determine such compensation and how you can prove them.

Critical Factors

Replacement compensation varies by circumstances. Below are some top factors that determine how much you may get.

Range of Activities

List all the activities you used to do in your home before the accident. Examples of things to list include:

  • Cooking
  • Lawn mowing
  • Taking out the trash
  • Cleaning the gutters
  • Fixing malfunctioning appliances, such as the dishwasher

Don’t leave anything out, however small it may seem.

Frequency of the Activities

Some household chores require more frequent handling than others. For example, you may need to cook every day, mow the lawn every other week, and take out the trash every couple of days. Mention the activities’ frequencies since they will affect how much you need to pay another person for the chores.

Your Restrictions

Your disability or injury determines whether you can handle some house chores or not at all. List only tasks you cannot do. For example, you might struggle with any chore if your doctor has advised complete bed rest or if you have complete paralysis. However, someone with a minor back injury can still perform non-tasking chores, such as loading the washing machine.

Duration of Cessation

If you have already recovered, specify how long you could not handle each activity. After all, injury victims recover in stages and usually start light work before they move to more demanding tasks. Maybe you couldn’t take out the trash for a couple of weeks or couldn’t clean the roof for two months. Let your claim reflect those durations.

Average Costs

The costs of household chores differ, and your compensation will reflect this. Critical factors here include:

  • The chore’s complexity
  • The chore’s physical demands
  • Each chore’s duration

For example, you may need more time to clean the roof than take out the trash. Thus, roof cleaning will command higher compensation.

Proof

As mentioned above, you must prove each factor that supports your compensation for service replacements. Below are some proofs to use.

Medical Records

Your medical records detail your injuries, disabilities, and limitations. Use them to prove the household chores you cannot handle. For example, the presence of a back injury in your medical records proves you cannot lift heavy loads.

Eyewitnesses

Eyewitnesses, such as neighbors and friends, can help you prove the chores you typically handle in your home. For example, your neighbors have probably seen you mow the lawn or clean the gutters. The testimony may come in handy if the defendant claims you are a busy professional who doesn’t have time for such chores.

Labor Statistic Resources

You can claim compensation for replacement services whether you have already paid someone to handle them or plan to do so soon. In the former case, you can use labor statistics to prove your demand. For example, you can base your demands on typical wages that domestic workers or handymen charge for their services.

Documentary Evidence from Service Providers

You can use receipts or signed statements from service providers if you have already paid for the replacement services. Say your case has dragged on for some time, and a domestic worker has been helping you around the house. You can get a signed statement from the worker or receipts for their wages and use them as evidence.

The Jaklitsch Law Group has decades of experience in the personal injury industry. We can help you recover the compensation you need after an auto accident or any form of accident for which another person is liable. Contact us for free initial consultations to determine the direction to take with your case.

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