What Are Household Services Damages?
If your injuries prevent you from performing household tasks you previously handled — cleaning, cooking, childcare, yard work, home repairs, driving family members — the cost of having those services performed by someone else is recoverable as economic damages in a personal injury case.
How to Document Household Services Losses
- Keep receipts for any services you hire out as a result of your injury
- Get a physician's documentation that your injuries limit your ability to perform specific tasks
- Estimate the weekly hours previously spent on household tasks you can no longer do
- Research the market cost for replacing those services in your area
How the Claim Is Valued
The value of household services is typically calculated by multiplying the number of hours per week of lost services by the market hourly rate for those services. Expert testimony from vocational or rehabilitation specialists can help support this calculation. For long-term or permanent limitations, future household service costs are projected forward.
Caregiver Services from Family Members
If a family member provides care or household services because of your injuries, the value of those services may also be recoverable even if they are provided for free. The measure is typically the market rate for equivalent paid services, not what was actually paid.
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InjuryClaimSource is an educational resource. We are not a law firm and do not provide legal advice. Consult a qualified personal injury attorney for advice about your specific situation.