If you get hurt in a car accident or similar incident, you already know you may receive compensation for medical expenses and lost income. However, the goal of a personal injury lawsuit is to compensate you for all losses related to your injury — and that includes smaller, out-of-pocket expenses you may have forgotten about.
Here’s a closer look at the out-of-pocket expenses you might recover compensation for, how to prove these expenses, and how a lawyer can help.
What Are Out-Of-Pocket Expenses In Personal Injury Cases?
In a perfect world, you wouldn’t have to pay anything toward your injury until receiving your settlement. Unfortunately, there are some expenses that must be paid immediately — and these expenses are what personal injury attorneys are referring to when they talk about “out-of-pocket” expenses.
Copays
For many people injured in car accidents or other incidents, it’s not necessary to pay all medical costs in full immediately. However, depending on your medical insurance, you may need to pay a copay when you visit the emergency room, attend follow-up appointments, or have surgery.
Cost of Medication
Even if your medical insurance covers prescriptions, you will still likely have to pay something toward your medications. It’s also wise to keep track of the costs of over-the-counter medications needed to manage your injury.
Cost of Travel To Medical Appointments
There are many expenses most people don’t think about until they’ve suffered an injury. The cost of travel to medical appointments is one of them. The cost of traveling to appointments can vary greatly depending on how far you must travel. If you’re being seen by a doctor in your city, you might only need to pay for a taxi or rideshare.
However, if you must travel a significant distance to see a specialist, the cost of travel might include the following:
- Transport to the airport
- Plane tickets
- Hotel or other accommodation
- Transport from hotel to medical appointment
- Meals
These expenses can add up quickly. Make sure to keep every receipt — in order to receive compensation for out-of-pocket expenses, you must have sufficient proof.
Childcare Or Personal Care
If your injury makes it impossible to care for your children or yourself without help, you may need to hire someone to assist with childcare or personal care.
It’s important to note that in order to receive reimbursement or out-of-pocket expenses, you must be able to demonstrate that the costs are reasonable. For example, if you are your children’s primary caretaker and your injuries prevent you from serving in that role, paying for childcare while you heal might be reasonable.
However, if your spouse has handled all childcare since before your accident, the insurance company and the court will likely not see paying for a childcare professional as a reasonable expense.
Storage Fees
Depending on the circumstances of your accident, the insurance company may ask you to store your vehicle until they can send an insurance adjuster to evaluate it. Most garages charge daily storage fees, and the insurance company likely won’t pay. You should keep track of your storage fees and ask to be reimbursed if you win your case.
Cost of Modifying Your Home
If you are confined to a wheelchair temporarily or permanently after your accident, you might need to pay to install a wheelchair ramp, stair lift, or similar equipment in your home. These modifications can be costly, so you shouldn’t forget to request reimbursement for them.
Does It Cost Money To Hire an Attorney?
If you’re keeping track of your out-of-pocket expenses after an accident, you might worry that the cost of a personal injury lawyer will be just another expense. However, the good news is that most personal injury lawyers work on contingency.
This means that if a lawyer takes your case, you don’t pay anything upfront. If your lawyer secures compensation for you, you agree to pay them a set percentage of that compensation. If your lawyer doesn’t win your case, you pay nothing.
A Personal Injury Lawyer Can Help Your Pursue Compensation for Out-of-Pocket Expenses
If someone’s actions were negligent enough that they led to severe injuries, you should not have to cover the costs — or deal with the emotional fallout — of those injuries on your own. An experienced personal injury lawyer can often mean the difference between recovering the compensation you deserve and walking away with nothing.
At Parker & McConkie Personal Injury Lawyers, we have 100 years of experience recovering compensation for injured clients. Our team takes the time to discuss your case, comb through your out-of-pocket expenses, and identify all potential compensation.
If you’ve suffered a serious injury you didn’t cause, don’t wait — give us a call at (801) 851-1202 or contact us online to get started with a free consultation.
