Personal Injury Claims – How Not to Be Left Out of Pocket by Victoria Machin, Solicitor

The impact of being involved in an accident can go far beyond the physical and mental injuries sustained, affecting not only the injured party but also those around them. An injured person may not be able to return to work immediately, or at all, causing significant financial worry.

It is therefore important to be aware that a claim for personal injury encompasses many elements beyond the injuries themselves. Did you know that you could also make a claim for any out of pocket expenses incurred as a direct result of the accident? These are known as ‘special damages’ and can include the following:

LOSS OF EARNINGS – If you are unable to return to work whilst you recover from your injuries, you may be able to recover loss of earnings suffered during this time and, if you are unable to return to work at all, you may be able to claim for your loss of earnings up until your projected retirement age. This can be calculated to reflect a number of factors, including loss of pension benefits.

CARE AND ASSISTANCE – You may require assistance from your friends and family, for example, with household tasks and personal care. If your injuries are more severe, you may require assistance from professional carers both now and in the future.

ACCOMMODATION AND ADAPTATIONS – If you have been seriously injured, you may find that your current home does not meet your needs and you need to adapt your property. The cost of such adaptations can be included in your claim, and may include things such as ramps and widened doorways for wheelchair access, bathroom adaptations such as walk-in showers, or stair lifts and lowered work surfaces.

REHABILITATION – You may require rehabilitative treatment to help you recover, including physiotherapy, counselling, speech and language therapy, occupational therapy or pain management courses. It may be appropriate to put in place an in-depth and intensive rehabilitation programme which may include an inpatient stay at a specialist rehabilitation hospital.

MEDICAL AIDS AND EQUIPMENT – Following an injury, you may require certain medical aids, medication and/or equipment to assist you.

TRAVEL EXPENSES – You may incur significant travel expenses attending medical appointments. You may also require adaptations to your vehicle or a new vehicle altogether.

As it is essential to consider all of the above elements when submitting a claim for personal injury, you must ensure that you seek legal advice at the earliest opportunity to ensure that you secure enough compensation to protect, safeguard and address your future needs.

If you or someone you care about has been injured in an accident which was not their fault, please do not hesitate to contact Clark Willis Law Firm LLP at enquiries@clarkwillis.co.uk or on 01325 281111.