When a personal injury accident causes a debilitating injury, the road to recovery may be long. While you undergo treatments, rehabilitation and therapy to regain lost function or adjust to a new disability, you may need to modify your home to adapt to your current abilities. You could be eligible for financial compensation to cover these necessary accommodations through an Orange County personal injury case.
What Are Home Modifications?
Home modifications refer to any necessary renovations or remodeling to accommodate a disability. These projects can make a home safer and more accessible to individuals who rely on mobility assistance, such as wheelchairs and walkers, or who have physical limitations. Common home modifications include:
- Wheelchair ramps
- Roll-in showers
- Shower benches or seats
- Comfort height toilets
- Railings and grab bars
- Lever-style handles
- Stairlifts
- Ceiling track lifts
- Vertical platform lifts
- Motion-activated lights
- Widening doorways
- Lowering countertops
- Adaptive cabinetry
The specific home modifications an individual will need depend on the type and level of injury. Common catastrophic injuries that require accommodations include traumatic brain injuries, spinal cord injuries, amputations and third-degree burns.
How Much Do Home Modifications Cost?
The price of renovating a home to accommodate a disability can be vast. Modification costs can vary widely based on the extent of the upgrades needed, from $500 to $1,000 for modest renovations to $75,000 and beyond for full home remodels to adapt to a permanent or total disability. Get estimates from professional contractors to submit alongside your insurance claim to have these costs adequately covered.
Who Pays for the Cost of Home Renovations After a Catastrophic Injury?
Sustaining a life-changing injury in an accident, whether a doctor believes it will be temporary or permanent, can alter your level of ability, mobility and independence. When you return home from the hospital, your house may no longer be a place where you can safely or comfortably carry out the tasks of daily living. You should not have to “make do” with safety hazards or accessibility issues in your own home, such as insurmountable staircases, bathtubs and narrow hallways.
You deserve proper disability accommodations that outfit your home to be safe and functional based on your current level of ability. You also deserve fair compensation to cover these renovations from the at-fault party. If someone else was negligent or did not meet the duty of care, and this caused your catastrophic injury, you can generally qualify for financial compensation from that person’s insurance provider to cover all related losses. This includes present and future medical bills, lost wages, lost capacity to earn, pain and suffering, and reasonable disability accommodations.
How to Secure Fair Compensation for Disability Accommodations in Your Home
To seek financial compensation for home modifications as part of a personal injury case, you will need to provide evidence showing that the renovations are necessary and the costs are reasonable. Evidence may include medical documentation of your injury and disability, letters from health care providers, construction estimates, and proof illustrating why the modifications were necessary to enhance the functionality of your house.
Unfortunately, insurance companies tend to underestimate case values and diminish settlement offers every chance they get. This includes attempting to avoid or reduce payouts for home and vehicle modifications. You may need to hire a qualified personal injury lawyer to review your case, take over settlement negotiations, prove the necessity of home modifications and take a defendant to court, if necessary, for fair compensation.