(Newswire.net — March 29, 2022) — If you are involved in an accident where someone else was negligent, you can take the at-fault party to court to get compensated for the damage caused. These funds can cover certain expenses such as medical bills, rehabilitation, lost wages, and pain and suffering. In addition to those items, you can also be compensated for losing the ability to perform household services.
What Are Household Services?
Every day, you are expected to engage in certain activities to keep your home running smoothly. These include:
- Doing the dishes
- Cleaning
- Going to the grocery store
- Doing laundry
- Cooking
- Other activities
Most of us do not think twice about performing these tasks because they simply have to be done. However, if you have been injured in an accident and can no longer perform these duties, it becomes apparent how important they are.
To maintain your household, you might have to hire someone to help with these daily chores. Those are your “household services.”
Since you have to incur this expense, you should be compensated for your loss when filing a personal injury claim. Even if a family member performs these duties free of charge, there is still a value associated with them, and determining loss of household services is essential.
How Is the Cost of Household Services Calculated?
Some lawyers employ experts in economics to determine how much compensation you should receive for household services. The resource they rely on is the dollar value of a day. This calculates the average hours each week spent on different household activities using data from the U.S. Census Bureau’s American Time Use Survey.
Then, data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics’ Occupational Employment Statistics (the OES) is used to estimate the hourly cost within each category, which include the following:
- Household production
- Work and education
- Caring and helping
- Leisure
- Personal time
More often than not, when it comes to calculating the cost of household services to determine fair compensation, the categories of Household Production and Caring and Helping are used.
Within each of these main categories are subcategories that are examined, including the following:
- Work done inside the household
- Food preparation and cleanup
- Management of the household
- Shopping
- Number of adults and children within the home
- Non-household members
- Travel for home activities or household and non-household members
There are a few other subcategories examined. Furthermore, each of these subcategories is yet another level of classification taken into consideration. For example, for work done inside the household, things such as cleaning, laundry, and other duties are considered.
Once the categories for the injured party have been established, the amount of compensation is determined based on the person’s gender, marital status, employment status, and the number of children. This can vary from person to person, so having an economist figure this out is essential.
Getting What You Deserve
After being injured in an accident, you know there will be medical expenses and other bills to pay. Most people are aware that personal injury lawsuits will try to get compensation for these. You may not consider your ability to keep your household running efficiently and smoothly after an injury, but your lawyer will. That’s when calculating household services works to your benefit.
Since this can be a complicated process, working with a skilled personal injury attorney is in your best interest. They will have economists they can rely on to help in this situation and get you what you deserve.
The Bottom Line
Accidents based on someone else’s negligence can have debilitating and life-changing consequences. If you are no longer able to perform your regular household duties, you may be entitled to compensation. Talking to an attorney can help you figure out if you have a case.
Obtaining this additional award can make a significant difference in your lifestyle. It will help protect your family budget and allow you to continue living in a cozy home environment.
Author information
With a law degree under his belt and years of experience, Mark Scott set off to make the law more accessible to all. He decided to help people lost in the maze of legal terminology to find their way. Mark writes clear and concise pieces and gives simple advice that is easy to follow. On account of positive feedback from readers, he decided to dedicate more of his time to this goal and became a legal columnist. In his writings, Mark covers a wide array of topics, like how to seek legal counsel, or how to deal with different procedures. Furthermore, he directs his readers toward other trustworthy resources for more in-depth information.