Yes, if the accident was someone else’s fault—or primarily someone else’s fault—then you should be compensated for all of your damages. This includes your property damage and any expenses that occurred because of the accident that you had to pay out of your own pocket.
What’s Included
Generally, any expense that you can prove was caused by the accident should be included in your recovery. While each case is unique, some common types of out-of-pocket damages that occur include:
- Transportation costs that you incurred because of the accident. This may include public transportation costs, parking costs for medical appointments, or a rental car if one is not covered by an applicable insurance policy, for example.
- Household help that you incurred because of the accident. If your injuries prevent you from doing housework or taking care of your children or pets and you had to hire others to do it for you because of your injuries then these expenses may be included in your recovery.
Any other miscellaneous expenses that you have to pay as a result of your injuries can also be included in your recovery of out-of-pocket damages.
Be Prepared to Prove the Value of Your Out-of-Pocket Damages
As with every type of damage that you claim in a personal injury case, you will need to prove the value of your loss to the insurance company or to the court in order to make a fair recovery. You may pay for your out-of-pocket damages in different ways depending on the particular expense. However, it is important to keep copies of:
- Receipts.
- Invoices.
- Cancelled checks.
This type of documentation can prove the value of the damages that you incurred. For more information about how to recover your out-of-pocket costs and all of the personal injury accident damages that you deserve, please contact us online or call us directly at 800.800.5678 for a free consultation about your rights.