Many of our clients here at The Injury Lawyers are aware they can claim compensation for their injuries, but may not be aware they can claim for other losses. Upon approaching firms you should be given advice regarding the sorts of losses you can claim for after an accident.
Law firms tend to advise of these losses early on in the claim to allow the client to gather up past evidence of losses and save any ongoing evidence for future reference. What this evidence takes the form of depends upon the type of loss which is being claimed.
I have listed some of the more important and common types of loss below:
- Loss of earnings – If you have been absent from work as a result of your accident and this time has been unpaid or you have been paid less, then you may have a claim for loss of earnings. Usually a solicitor would ask for 13 weeks wage slips prior to the accident – this allows an average of your earnings to be calculated and this amount would then be claimed back. If you are self –employed this average would usually be taken from 3 years worth of profit and loss accounts.
- Care and assistance – if you have had to enlist the help of a carer/family member/friend to complete personal care or domestic tasks on your behalf, this help may be claimed back at an hourly rate. These tasks may include dressing or washing yourself, cleaning your home, preparing meals, or completeing shopping. It must be of note that losses claimed are payable to your carer/carers.
- Treatment costs – treatment costs such as physiotherapy, osteopathy, or for a chiropractor may be claimed back as a loss. Treatment, especially private treatment, can be costly but extremely necessary to aid the pain and increase the quality of life for an accident victim. Most good injury lawyers will arrange private medical care for you at no cost at all.
- Other losses which may include travel expenses to medical appointments. or prescription medication costs.
The above list is not exhaustive and therefore advice from a specialist personal injury solicitor is necessary. They will include your losses into a document known as a Schedule of Loss which may then be disclosed to the other side.
If you would like any information regarding what you can claim then feel free to get in touch.
