For attorneys and legal teams seeking a clear, court-ready understanding of how household services are defined, evaluated, and valued.
What Are “Household Services”?
“Household services” refers to the unpaid work a person performs to maintain a home and support its members. These tasks have real economic value even though they don’t appear on a paycheck. In litigation—especially personal injury and wrongful death—loss of household services is a compensable economic damage when an injury or death reduces a person’s ability to perform these tasks.
Typical categories include:
- Domestic chores: cleaning, laundry, dishes, meal prep, grocery shopping
- Household management: budgeting/bill pay, scheduling, transportation/errands, appointment coordination
- Childcare & dependent care: supervision, feeding, bathing, school runs, homework help, special-needs care
- Eldercare & caregiving: medication support, transfers, mobility assistance, monitoring
- Home & yard: routine maintenance, snow removal, lawn care, minor repairs
- Other contributions: pet care, household logistics, event planning, family communications
Key idea: The question isn’t whether the tasks “earn wages,” but whether they have replacement value when the injured person can no longer provide them.
Where This Arises in Law
Loss of household services may be claimed in:
- Personal injury (temporary or permanent functional loss)
- Wrongful death (value of services formerly provided by the decedent)
- Disability claims (short- or long-term impairment)
- Matrimonial matters (contextual analysis of contribution—jurisdiction-dependent)
Courts and triers of fact generally look for clear definitions, credible time estimates, and a defensible method for assigning economic value. Exact standards vary by jurisdiction. This article provides general information, not legal advice.
Who May Be Compensated
- Injured party: When functional limitations reduce the person’s ability to perform pre-injury tasks.
- Survivors/estate (wrongful death): For services the decedent previously provided and the household now must replace.
- Household members: In some contexts, increased burden on others may be relevant (jurisdiction-dependent).
The focus is the economic impact on the household, not the job title or income of the injured person.
How Loss Is Evaluated: A Process Overview
A credible evaluation is methodical and neutral. Typical elements include:
Pre-Injury Contribution Profile
- Which tasks did the person perform?
- How often and for how long (hours/week)?
- Seasonal or episodic tasks identified (e.g., snow removal)
Post-Injury Capacity & Participation
- Functional limitations (temporary vs. permanent)
- Which tasks are reduced, slower, or require assistance?
- Adaptive strategies or assistive devices already in use
Documentation & Corroboration
- Interviews with the individual and household members
- Medical, therapy, and functional capacity notes (where available)
- Personal calendars, checklists, logs, receipts (e.g., paid housekeeping)
- Prior role descriptions (e.g., family routines, division of labor)
Time Quantification
- Credible time estimates per task (hours/week or per occurrence)
- Frequency and variability (daily, weekly, monthly, seasonal)
- Distinguish performance loss (can’t do) from efficiency loss (takes longer)
Valuation Method
- Replacement cost using labor market wages for comparable services
- Consideration of layered tasks (e.g., live-in vs. per-visit services)
- Cost differences by geography and skill level (general household aide vs. specialized caregiver)
Projection
- Expected duration (temporary vs. long-term)
- For permanent losses, apply appropriate present-value discounting (typically by an economic expert)
Methods Used by Experts (and Why They Matter)
Vocational Expert’s Role
- Define and measure tasks: Build pre/post profiles, quantify time, and identify functional limitations based on records and interview data.
- Feasibility & accommodation: Note reasonable assistive devices or task modifications (without advocacy).
- Scope boundaries: A vocational expert does not prescribe medical treatment or set legal strategy; they provide an objective functional and task analysis.
Economic Expert’s Role
- Assign market value: Map tasks to reasonable replacement costs (e.g., housekeeper, childcare provider, personal care aide).
- Account for inflation & discounting: Calculate present value of future services, consistent with accepted economic principles.
- Sensitivity analysis: Where appropriate, show ranges to reflect uncertainty (hours, wage rates, duration).
Together, vocational and economic experts provide a two-part foundation: capacity and time (vocational) plus dollars (economic). Each discipline stays in its lane.
Valuation Approaches (High-Level)
Replacement Cost Method (most common):
- Identify market wage for comparable services in the relevant locale.
- Multiply by estimated hours lost per period.
- Adjust for scheduling, supervision, minimum visit fees, or agency premiums where relevant.
Opportunity Cost Method (less common in practice here):
- Value the provider’s time using their market wage.
- Often less favored for household services because the replacement market rate more directly reflects actual household spending needs.
Combining Services:
- Some tasks require specialized providers (e.g., personal care aide vs. housekeeper).
- A credible analysis avoids a single blended rate when different skills are involved.
Duration & Life Expectancy:
- Temporary losses: tie to expected recovery horizon.
- Permanent losses: align with life expectancy or anticipated need period, subject to medical and functional evidence.
Evidence That Supports Admissibility
While standards differ by jurisdiction, reports that are methodologically transparent and well documented tend to be more defensible:
- Clear sources (interviews, records, logs)
- Defined assumptions
- Step-by-step calculations
- Rationale for wage rates (with geographic relevance)
- Separation of vocational vs. economic opinions
How This Plays Out in Litigation
- Pleadings & Discovery: Clear definitions and data requests help streamline expert work.
- Expert Reports: Vocational and economic components should interlock without overreach.
- Deposition & Trial: Experts explain methods and assumptions; they do not advocate outcomes.
- Settlement: Credible, transparent numbers can facilitate resolution by clarifying real household impact.
Equity, Culture, and Household Diversity
Households divide labor in many ways. A neutral analysis:
- Respects nontraditional or shared roles.
- Accounts for cultural norms and multi-generational living.
- Focuses on what actually occurred pre-injury and what is feasible post-injury.
When to Engage Experts
Consider retaining experts when:
- Functional changes are significant or disputed.
- Household roles are complex (multiple dependents, specialized care).
- Long-term projections are needed (permanent impairment, wrongful death).
- A transparent, third-party methodology would aid the trier of fact.
About KWVRS
KWVRS provides objective vocational evaluations and collaborates with forensic economists to quantify loss of household services. Our team emphasizes:
- Neutrality and methodological rigor
- Clear, court-ready documentation
- Efficient, tech-forward workflows and responsive client service
We do not provide legal advice and remain independent in our analyses and testimony.
Related Reading
- What Counts as Household Services? (task categories, examples, and documentation tips)
Contact KWVRS
If your case involves potential loss of household services, we can provide an objective, defensible evaluation.
Contact KWVRS to discuss scope, timelines, and documentation needs.
