Many clients that approach The Injury Lawyers are aware of their right to claim compensation for their injuries. However, upon beginning to advise or clients regarding the other losses they may be able to claim for, there seems to be a lack of knowledge and understanding. We believe that all our clients, as well as any potential claimants out there, should have a good understanding of what they are entitled to claim for.
Claiming for losses in a claim for personal injury can be a complex issue – so it is always advisable to seek advice from a specialist personal injury lawyer. A lawyer should be able to fully advise you regarding your losses. Once a lawyer has gained information about your losses, they should collate these in a document known as a Schedule of Loss. This document will only contain your financial losses as a result of your accident; the compensation for your injuries alone will be dealt with separately.
Below, I have listed many of the more common items you see on a Schedule of Loss. This list is by no means exhaustive – full advice regarding losses should be gained from a specialist personal injury lawyer.
- Loss of earnings: if you have been absent from work as a result of your accident, and you were unpaid or on a reduced level of pay, such as Statutory Sick Pay, you may have a loss of earnings claim. In order to calculate this claim, your solicitor will normally take an average of 13 weeks’ worth of wage slips prior to the accident. If you are self-employed, your solicitor will usually request 3 years of profit and loss accounts in order to calculate the average.
- Treatment Costs – at The Injury Lawyers, we are able to offer medical treatment to our clients at an early stage of their claim. This treatment can include physiotherapy, chiropractic, and osteopathic private treatment which can be arranged at a location close to where you live. The cost of this treatment is paid upon the conclusion of your case; if you win your case, the costs are paid by the other side, and if you lose, the cost is covered by insurance.
- Care and Assistance – if you have required the assistance of a carer as a result of the accident, you may have a claim for care and assistance. It need not be a professional carer – it may be that a family member or friend has assisted you. A claim for care and assistance can be made for a variety of tasks which can include personal care, such as dressing, or domestic tasks, such as cleaning and preparing meals. This assistance can be claimed back at an hourly rate and is payable to the carer/s.
- Travel costs – if you have incurred travel costs as a result of the accident, these may be claimed back as well. Any travel or petrol receipts should be retained to support your claim.
- Medication costs – any prescription costs, as well as costs for over the counter medication which have been accrued as a result of your accident, may be claimed for.
If you would like any information on what you can claim for then feel free to get in touch