Did you know that if you have been involved in an accident that was not your fault you may be entitled to compensation? I would say that most of you are aware of this given that there has been a lot of advertising on this matter in recent times. However, are you aware that the compensation that you could be awarded does not solely relate to the injuries you have suffered? I would hazard a guess that most are probably unaware of this. The reality is that if you have been involved in an accident that was not your fault, you are entitled to make a claim for compensation to cover ALL of your losses.
What do I mean by all of your losses? Well, here is a very quick example – if you have had to take time off work because of your accident, it may be that you have only been paid statutory sick pay and that you have lost out on a certain amount of wages. Your lawyers can make a claim for this loss of earnings to make sure that you are put back in the position you would have been in had the accident not have occurred. So what else can a claim for compensation incorporate? Here is a quick guide:
Loss of earnings
The nature of your injury may mean that you have to take time off work to recover fully. That is to be expected in some cases. However, depending on the terms of your contract, during this time you may only be entitled to statutory sick pay which is a sum far less than your weekly or monthly wage. So, if you would normally earn £2,000 a month but your sick pay scheme has meant that you have only earnt £1,000 that month, we can make a claim for that £1,000 deficit when making your claim for compensation.
Care and assistance
Sometimes your injury will mean that you are unable to do certain daily activities that you would normally undertake. For example, if you have restricted movement, it may be that you cannot complete routine household chores, or in fact need help bathing or getting to and from the toilet. If you have had someone in to assist you do this, whether it be a carer or even a friend or relative, your lawyers can make a claim on your behalf asking that those people who have helped you out during this difficult period be reimbursed financially.
Travel costs
It is often the case with those who have been injured as a result of someone else’s negligence that you will need to attend your GP or local hospital on a somewhat regular basis. If you have had to travel by bus, car or taxi for example then you will likely have incurred travel expenses. If you keep your bus tickets or a detailed note of all your journeys to and from medical appointments then your lawyers can help you make a claim to recoup this outlay.
Medication costs
If you have had to purchase extra medication, where you keep the receipt, your legal representatives can help you get this money back.
Miscellaneous expenses
At The Injury Lawyers we recognise that it does cost money to send us letters, whether that be postage costs or printing costs for example, or make telephone calls. We always try and get these costs back for your with a claim for miscellaneous expenses.
