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If you’re injured in a car accident, and that injury keeps you from handling everyday tasks around your household, your personal injury claim could reimburse you for any help needed to do those tasks.
It’s a process called “replacement services,” and it's easy to miss if no one tells you it exists.
The Legal Definition
Minnesota law uses the technical term "replacement services" for this benefit. Here's the exact language:
In Minnesota law, replacement services are: All expenses reasonably incurred by or on behalf of the nonfatally injured person in obtaining usual and necessary substitute services in lieu of those that, had the injured person not been injured, the injured person would have performed not for income but for direct personal benefit or for the benefit of the injured person's household. (Minn. Stat. § 65B.44, subd. 5)
In plain terms: if your injury stops you from doing tasks you'd normally handle yourself around the house, you may be able to get paid back for hiring someone else to do them.
What counts as replacement services?
Replacement services cover the everyday tasks an injury keeps you from doing yourself, including:
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Cleaning and laundry
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Grocery shopping
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Lawn care and snow removal
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Childcare
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Meal preparation
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Basic home maintenance
If a task benefited your household and you'd normally handle it yourself, ask your insurer if it qualifies.
How do I get reimbursed for replacement services?
First, you’ll need to ask your doctor for a physical examination. If your doctor provides written instructions that prevent you from completing housework during recovery, you can ask for reimbursement. This is just like asking for a doctor’s note if you need to take time off work.
How much money can I claim for replacement services?
If you’re approved for reimbursement, you’d receive a weekly stipend to pay for someone else to complete these tasks for you.
Minnesota's No-Fault Act sets specific limits on this benefit:
| Requirement | Details |
| Weekly maximum | Up to $200 per week |
| Waiting period | No benefits for the first 7 days after your injury |
| How the amount is calculated | Based on the reasonable value of the tasks, or your actual out-of-pocket expenses |
| Documentation | Keep receipts or a written log, even for cash payments |
You don't need to hire a professional service to qualify. If a family member or friend helps you out, you can still seek reimbursement, as long as you can show what tasks they performed and what you paid them.
Replacement services connect to the same No-Fault priority rules that determine which insurance company pays your medical bills and lost wages after an accident. All three benefits draw from the same $20,000 economic loss limit.
Replacement services are just one small part of a personal injury claim. If you have been hurt in an accident, schedule a free consultation to make sure you're getting every benefit you're entitled to.
