Household Chores = Valuable Services
Few of us think of the day to day household chores that we have to do around our home as being valuable. On the contrary, many of us view them as an annoyance.
But if you have suffered a serious physical injury you may not be able to perform the household chores and duties that you routinely did before the accident.
What would happen if you were not able to do your normal household chores/duties on a regular basis?
The dishes would pile up, your house would get filthy, your lawn would turn into a field of weeds, your sidewalk would become dangerous and icy and your house would fall into disrepair.
Defendant May Be Ordered to Pay Expenses
If the defendant is found liable (responsible) for causing your injuries, then they may be ordered to compensate you for the costs of hiring someone to perform all of the household duties that you can no longer do as a result of your injuries.
Housekeeping Costs
For example I have made claims to compensate my clients for the expense of hiring housekeepers to come into their home to do laundry, wash their dishes, make their beds, and help cook meals.
I represented a single mom who suffered a spinal cord injury and was confined to a wheelchair. We were able to recover compensation for her for the cost of hiring a childcare worker to come into her home to help care for her 2 young children until she was able to care for her children on her own.
Maintenance Costs
I have had clients who were no longer able to perform their normal household maintenance activities. We have submitted claims to cover the cost of mowing their law, shoveling their sidewalk, and even maintaining their garden.
To put it simply, a claim for loss of valuable services covers all of the normal day to day physical activities that a homeowner has to engage in to maintain their home and their property.
What You Do Has Value!
Everything you do to take care of yourself and your family has value. If your injuries prevent you from being able to perform a physical duty, chore or activity that you were able to perform before you were injured, the court will consider compensating you for the actual financial cost of hiring someone to perform those valuable services.
If you or a loved one have suffered injuries that you think may be due to medical malpractice you can contact me through this blog or by calling toll free 1-877-423-2050 for a free copy of my book: The Consumer’s Guide to Medical Malpractice Claims in Canada: Why 98% of Canadian Medical Malpractice Victims Never Receive a Penny in Compensation.