Personal Injury & Food: 4 Changes That Could Impact Your Settlement
After suffering from a personal injury, it's easy to forget how the little things in your life can change so dramatically. One of the things that you may take for granted is your daily food routine. Arm injuries, back injuries, or injuries that put you in a wheelchair can change your diet and also come with costs to help get your life back in order. Instead of paying for these changes out of pocket, an attorney can help you recuperate them through your injury settlement case. There are four different food and eating costs that may impact your case. By understanding the different costs, you can help make them a part of your settlement case and ensure everything is covered financially.
Food Delivery Service
One of the biggest impacts that may occur when you've suffered a personal injury is your ability to cook meals for yourself. As an alternative, you may seek out food delivery services. Whether it's through door to door delivery or mail delivery, there are a number of food services that can bring you fresh meals with nutritional value. In many cases, the costs of these meals and the delivery charges may be higher than your traditional grocery receipts. When working with an attorney, they can compare the costs to figure out the difference and extra expenses that you now have. Through a settlement case, your attorney will try to reimburse you for the costs.
Kitchen Accessibility
An injury can change the way you move around your kitchen and access different food items. To help you get through the room independently, you may have a number of upgrades installed. Lower counters, accessible appliances, and special tools to reach high places may be just a few of the changes that are needed for the room. For drastic changes, you may even need to hire a contractor for the installations. A settlement case can help you receive compensation for the new items and any labor costs associated with them.
Eating Assistance
A traditional dinner at the kitchen table may be changed due to limited mobility or as a result of your injuries. There are a number of supplies that may need to get purchased to help you eat safely. For example, if you are temporarily in a wheelchair, you may need to purchase a fold down tray that can be used for eating meals on. Television trays or other small tables may also be purchased depending on your conditions.
Special utensils may also be purchased for eating. Known as adaptive eating utensils, you can purchase forks, knives and spoons with special grips and curves that make it easier to eat. These utensils may be needed more if you have a hand or arm injury that you're healing from. During a settlement case, your attorney can seek compensation for the costs of these utensils and any other eating supplies that you have purchased.
Nutritionist Appointments
An injury often changes your ability to perform in physical activities on a daily basis. To help with any changes, you may have to hire a nutritionist to help set up a healthy meal plan. These professionals can help you plan out meals, eliminate bad foods, and ensure that you remain fully healthy during your time of healing. Depending on your injuries, you may need to a nutritionist at least once a week. Depending on your insurance coverage, these visits can add up and take a lot of out of pocket expenses. Your lawyer will help determine the amount that insurance has covered and the actual costs you paid for. Through this research, you can help reach a settlement that you deserve.
Keeping a food journal can also help track your changes and eating habits. It can be used as evidence in your case and may help your attorney reach a larger settlement based on the changes in your life. Talk to your attorney for additional info on receiving compensation for food related costs after your auto accident.
Share