• I want to consult about a traffic accident in the Yaizu, Makinohara, Yoshida, Omaezaki, or Fujieda area.
• I want to know how much of the commuting transportation expenses I can claim from the at-fault party.
• I want to use a taxi for my hospital visits. Can I have the taxi fare reimbursed?

Are you troubled by issues like these in Yaizu, Makinohara, Omaezaki, Fujieda, Shimada, Yoshida Town, or surrounding areas?
Yaizu Sogo Law Office offers a free initial legal consultation regarding traffic accident concerns. There is no obligation to retain our services after the initial consultation. We are also available on weekday evenings and Saturdays. Please feel free to contact us by phone or email.

What Are Medical Commuting Transportation Expenses?

If you are injured in a traffic accident, you will need to visit a hospital for treatment. In addition to the medical treatment costs, you can also claim the transportation expenses for commuting to the hospital from the at-fault party, to the extent that they are necessary and reasonable.

Here, we will explain what types of expenses can be claimed as medical commuting transportation expenses.

Claimable Expenses Must Be "Necessary and Reasonable"

While you cannot freely choose any mode of transportation, in practice, a fairly wide range of expenses is recognized based on the severity of the injury, the distance from your home to the hospital, and the availability of public transportation.

Claimable Transportation Expenses Are, in Principle, Actual Costs

The amount that can be claimed from the at-fault party as medical commuting transportation expenses is, in principle, limited to actual costs.

For example, if you commuted to the hospital by car, you can claim gasoline expenses.

Although fuel efficiency varies depending on the type of vehicle and gasoline prices, in practice, regardless of the case, you can claim based on a standard rate of 15 yen per kilometer, calculated according to the distance from your home to the hospital.

Additionally, if you used public transportation such as trains or buses, you can claim the bus fares, train fares, and similar expenses.

To avoid any disputes when filing a claim later, be sure to obtain and keep receipts and other documents that prove your use of transportation.

Formula for Calculating Gasoline Expenses

Round-trip commuting distance (km) × 15 yen/km × Number of hospital visits
*"1 km = 15 yen" is a standard used in judicial practice nationwide.

Important Notes

• The rate is uniformly set at "15 yen/km" regardless of whether the vehicle is a standard car or a compact car.
• It is possible to claim based on "distance × 15 yen" even without receipts (however, the date and time of each hospital visit will be verified through objective records such as medical statements).

Can Taxi Fares Be Claimed?

Taxi fares can be claimed if the necessity and reasonableness of using a taxi is recognized in light of the nature of the injury and other circumstances.

For example, there is a court precedent where approximately 2.35 million yen in taxi fares was approved because the victim had to walk one hour from their home to the nearest train station to use public transportation, making taxi use unavoidable.

If the necessity and reasonableness of using a taxi is not recognized, unfortunately, even if you actually used a taxi for commuting, you will only be reimbursed for the equivalent cost of public transportation (train or bus).

There are cases where people expected to be reimbursed later for out-of-pocket expenses but were not compensated, so please exercise sufficient caution.

Also, as mentioned above, be sure to obtain and keep receipts so that you can prove that you used a taxi and the amount of the fare.

Specific Examples Where Taxi Fares Are Likely to Be Approved

• Difficulty walking or using public transportation due to pain
• Doctor's instructions to "avoid public transportation"
• Long distance to the nearest train station or bus stop
• Almost no public transportation available near the victim's home
• High frequency of hospital visits, creating a significant burden
• Cases involving elderly persons or children

What Is Particularly Important Is the "Causal Relationship with the Injury"

Communicating circumstances such as "unable to walk due to pain" or "unable to carry belongings" to your doctor, and having these documented in medical certificates or medical records, makes it easier for taxi fares to be approved.

Examples Where Taxi Fares Are Likely to Be Denied

• A healthy family member was available to provide transportation
• The distance was short and walking was possible
• Public transportation was readily available
• The injury was minor and walking was not a problem

However, there are many cases where claims are approved when the victim's living circumstances are thoroughly explained.

Can Parking Fees and Expressway Tolls Be Claimed?

Parking fees and expressway tolls can also be claimed, similar to taxi fares, if the necessity and reasonableness of their use is recognized.

However, if the necessity and reasonableness of using these is not recognized, you will not be reimbursed at all even if you actually paid parking fees or expressway tolls for your hospital visits, so please exercise sufficient caution.

Cases Where Claims Are Likely to Be Approved

• The hospital parking lot is paid in an urban area
• Commuting to the hospital is difficult without using the expressway
• Need to travel to a distant hospital for surgery or specialized treatment
• Doctor's instructions require visits to a "specific medical institution"

Examples Where Claims Are Likely to Be Denied

• Treatment was available at a nearby hospital
• Insufficient explanation from the doctor regarding the necessity of use
• Expensive parking or expressway was used at the victim's own discretion

What About Transportation Expenses for an Accompanying Person?

If the victim requires a family member or other close relative to accompany them to hospital visits, the accompanying person's transportation expenses, and in some cases accommodation expenses, may also be claimable.

Cases Where Accompanying Person's Transportation Expenses Are Likely to Be Approved

• Hospital visits for a child (minor)
• Hospital visits for an elderly person
• Accompaniment required for examinations such as MRI
• Mentally unstable and unable to visit the hospital alone
• Difficulty walking after surgery

Examples Where Accommodation Expenses Are Approved

• The emergency hospital is in another prefecture
• Long-term accompaniment in the intensive care unit
• Doctor's instructions require staying nearby

How to Prove Medical Commuting Transportation Expenses

It is no exaggeration to say that medical commuting transportation expenses are "all about evidence."

Please be sure to carefully keep the following documents. Simply having these documents ready will make it much easier for your claim to be approved.

• Taxi receipts
• Parking receipts
• Expressway receipts (ETC statements are acceptable)
• Receipts for public transportation such as buses and trains
• Medical statements for each hospital visit date (the visit dates serve as evidence)

Points That Insurance Companies Tend to Deny

The following are typical counterarguments that insurance companies frequently raise.

• "Public transportation is sufficient"
• "A family member should be able to provide transportation"
• "If you can walk, a taxi is unnecessary"
• "The amount is too high"

All of these can be rebutted by explaining the medical circumstances and the necessity based on living conditions.

Summary

The above is a general explanation of medical commuting transportation expenses.

The extent to which you can specifically claim medical commuting transportation expenses from the at-fault party or the at-fault party's insurance company varies depending on the victim's individual circumstances.

Medical commuting transportation expenses are an item where many victims are actually paid less than the amount they are entitled to receive. However, if you thoroughly explain the nature of the injury, the commuting route, the availability of public transportation, and family circumstances, there is a possibility that a wide range of expenses, including taxi fares, expressway tolls, and accompanying person's expenses, will be approved.

Yaizu General Law Office offers a free initial consultation for traffic accident cases. If you have any concerns, please feel free to contact our office.

Frequently Asked Questions

The Initial Legal Consultation for Traffic Accidents at Yaizu Sogo Law Office Is Free of Charge

Yaizu Sogo Law Office provides a free initial legal consultation regarding traffic accidents.

We handle all traffic accident-related legal matters, regardless of severity or whether they involve property damage or personal injury. If you are feeling stressed by dealings with insurance companies, or if you want to know whether the amount offered by your insurance company is fair, please do not hesitate to consult with us.

Yaizu Sogo Law Office is available not only during regular weekday hours but also on weekday evenings and Saturdays. Please contact us by phone or email to schedule a legal consultation.

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