Sustaining an injury due to someone else’s carelessness can turn your life upside down. While a personal injury claim might help you recover from medical bills and lost wages, it’s important not to overlook another key part of your financial recovery: out-of-pocket expenses.
These can be smaller, often overlooked costs that add up quickly after an accident. They can be a major financial burden, especially when you are also dealing with other monetary pressures. In Illinois, you can usually be compensated for some of these expenses.
This article will explain out-of-pocket expenses, give you some common examples, and offer tips on how to keep track of them for your personal injury claim.
What Are Out-of-Pocket Expenses?
In a personal injury case, the financial losses you can recover from the person at fault are generally divided into two types:
- Economic damages: These are the financial losses that have a clear dollar amount. This includes things like medical bills, lost wages from missing work, and property damage.
- Non-economic damages: These are losses that are not as easy to put a price on, such as pain and suffering, emotional distress, and loss of enjoyment of life.
Out-of-pocket expenses fall under the category of economic damages. They are the costs you pay directly with your own money because of your injury. These expenses are separate from your medical bills and lost wages but are just as important to your recovery.
A good way to think about them is this: if you hadn’t been hurt, would you have spent this money? If the answer is no, you may be able to get reimbursed for it.
Common Examples of Out-of-Pocket Expenses
The types of out-of-pocket expenses you might have vary widely depending on the kind of accident and the injuries you suffered. Here are some of the most common examples:
Transportation Costs
Getting to and from all your appointments can become a major expense; out-of-pocket expenses in this category might include:
- Mileage: If you use your own car to drive to and from doctor’s visits, physical therapy, or other medical appointments, you can keep a record of the mileage.
- Public transit or rideshares: If you can’t drive, you may have to pay for bus tickets, train fares, or rideshare services like Uber and Lyft.
- Parking fees and tolls: Don’t forget to keep track of any money you spend on parking or tolls while going to your appointments.
These costs are often overlooked but can add up to hundreds or even thousands of dollars over the course of a long recovery.
Medical-Related Supplies and Services
While your health insurance may cover major medical bills, there are many smaller costs that you have to pay yourself.
- Medications: This includes prescription drugs and over-the-counter medications like pain relievers, bandages, or vitamins that your doctor recommends.
- Medical equipment: You may need to buy or rent things like crutches, a wheelchair, a brace, or a special bed.
- Co-pays and deductibles: These are the amounts you have to pay before your insurance starts to cover your medical costs. They can be a significant out-of-pocket expense.
Ensure you keep any records or invoices related to these costs as proof of their value.
Help at Home
A serious injury can make it difficult or even impossible to do your daily tasks. In these situations, you might need to hire help, and those costs can be included in your claim.
You might be able to get reimbursement for costs associated with:
- Household chores: If you can’t clean, cook, or do laundry, you may need to pay for a cleaning service or a food delivery service.
- Childcare or pet care: If you are too hurt to care for your children or your pets, the cost of hiring a sitter or a dog walker can be included.
- Home modifications: In cases of severe or permanent injuries, you may have to pay for changes to your home, such as a wheelchair ramp or grab bars in the bathroom.
Insurance companies and juries often look at out-of-pocket costs to fully understand how the injury has impacted your life. By showing all the ways the accident has cost you money, you can build a stronger case for a fair settlement. Your lawyer can help you ensure that all of your out-of-pocket expenses are accounted for when they calculate the value of your case.
How to Keep Track of Your Expenses
The most important thing you can do to get compensated for your out-of-pocket expenses is to keep detailed records. If you don’t have proof of these costs, it will be very hard to get money for them.
Here are some tips for keeping your records organized:
- Create a folder: Use a physical folder or a digital one on your computer to save all your receipts, invoices, and bills in one place.
- Log everything: Keep a written log or a spreadsheet of every expense. Write down the date, what you bought, how much it cost, and why it was needed. For transportation, write down the date, where you went, and the mileage or cost.
- Use your phone: Take a picture of every receipt as soon as you get it. This way, you will have a backup in case you lose the paper copy.
Proving that an expense was “necessary and reasonable” is a key part of your claim. A lawyer can help you prove this, especially if an insurance company questions a cost. They can use evidence like a statement from your doctor to show why a specific item or service was needed for your recovery.
Contact Our Northbrook Personal Injury Lawyers for a Free Consultation
Out-of-pocket expenses are a broad category of damages for which you might be entitled to compensation. A personal injury attorney in Northbrook can help you understand which of your losses might fall into this category and ensure they’re counted towards the total value of your case. Call Kass & Moses Personal Injury Lawyers at (847) 513-9582 to schedule a free consultation today.
