Even if you have never heard the term “household services,” you know what they are. Household services include the chores we all do every day as part of our everyday life. These are the things that we do around the house, like cooking, cleaning, ironing, laundry, taking out the trash, mowing the lawn, and fixing things. Loss of household services may be something to consider in your personal injury case.
In some personal injury cases, the injured person may not be able to perform household services. This can be a big problem around the house. Imagine if your wife was hurt and couldn’t cook dinner or clean. What would happen if you were hurt and couldn’t help care for your children? Most of us depend on someone else to help us get everything done.
If you’re hurt and cannot help around the house, you may have to hire someone. You may end up with landscapers, handymen, a cleaning service, and someone to help with childcare. These costs can quickly add up.
Chelsie King Garza is a skilled personal injury attorney who can help. Contact her online or call 713-893-8808.
How Does Texas Law Define Household Services?
Texas law defines household services as “those that a husband or wife performs around the home and in caring for the family.” Dallas Ry. & Terminal Co. v. Sutherland, 27 S.W.2d 830 (Tex.Civ.App.—El Paso 1930, writ dism’d w.o.j.). If your loved one is injured and can no longer perform household services, Texas law says you can seek the reasonable replacement cost of those services.
If you do have to hire someone for help, keeping a record of what you’ve paid and who you’ve hired is important. It is helpful to have concrete evidence to support your claim. However, an expert can help.
How do You Prove Household Services?
The value of household services can be forgotten in personal injury cases. Household services should be considered. And included in larger personal injury cases. A vocational expert can testify about the value of household services over time. The testimony of a medical expert and a forensic economist can help documents the damages.
For example, a medical expert can testify as to the extent of the injuries. They can also testify to how the injured person’s limitations will negatively affect their ability to perform household tasks. A vocational expert can put a dollar amount on the cost to replace those services. A forensic economist can testify to the economic value of household services in the marketplace.
You can help. If your husband used to mow the lawn and now you hire someone to do the yard work, keep your receipts. So too, if your wife handled the housekeeping and now you have to hire a cleaning service, keep track of the cost. Many of us take for granted the help we receive around the house or with our children. Unfortunately, we may not truly appreciate the help we receive until it is gone.
Contact a Personal Injury Lawyer to Discuss Your Loss of Household Services Claim
If you’ve been involved in an accident that has left you seriously injured, loss of household services may be an element of damages you need to consider. Contact Chelsie King Garza to help you get the full value of your personal injury case.
