What is Loss of Services?
A claim for compensation reflecting the household, childcare, and other domestic services that the injured person can no longer perform as a result of their injuries.
Understanding Loss of Services
Loss of services damages compensate for the value of tasks the injured person previously performed, such as cooking, cleaning, yard work, home maintenance, and childcare. These damages can be claimed by the injured person or, in some jurisdictions, by a spouse. The value is typically calculated based on what it would cost to hire someone to perform those services.
Examples
- 1Parent unable to do housework requiring family to hire cleaning service
- 2Injured spouse no longer able to perform yard maintenance and home repairs
- 3Claim for cost of childcare when injured parent cannot care for children
Related Terms
Loss of Consortium
A claim by the spouse or family member of an injured person for the loss of companionship, affection, comfort, and sexual relations resulting from the injury.
Economic Damages
Compensation for financial losses that can be calculated with specificity, including medical bills, lost wages, property damage, and future expenses.
Non-Economic Damages
Compensation for subjective, non-financial losses such as pain and suffering, emotional distress, loss of enjoyment of life, and loss of consortium.
Hedonic Damages
Compensation awarded for the loss of enjoyment of life, reflecting the diminished ability to participate in and enjoy the activities and pleasures that made life fulfilling before the injury.
Punitive Damages
Additional damages awarded beyond compensatory damages to punish the defendant for particularly egregious conduct and deter similar behavior in the future.
Help Your Clients Understand Their Case
Quilia makes it easy to communicate complex legal concepts to your clients.