Slip and fall accidents can cause significant damages, such as medical bills, lost wages, and lost earning potential, that you must find a way to pay for. They can also result in a worsened quality of life, as you can suffer anxiety and depression, alienate yourself from friends and family, and not feel comfortable in public places anymore.
Hiring a slip and fall accident lawyer can help, as they can assist you in calculating the current and future damages from your slip and fall accident. They can determine what economic and non-economic damages you suffered because of the negligence of the at-fault party and the best way for you to hold the liable party accountable. Determining the value of a slip and fall accident claim can be difficult due to several factors, but an experienced slip and fall accident lawyer can help with the process.
What is a Slip and Fall Accident?
A slip and fall accident is any situation where a person slips or trips, leading to them falling down, colliding with the floor, and injuring themself. This type of personal injury incident happens on another person’s property when there is something inhibiting people from walking safely.
The following are some of the causes of a slip and fall accident:
- Wet floor without a wet floor sign
- Exposed wiring
- Missing steps
- Uneven stairs
- Debris on the floor
- Holes on the floor
- Loose carpeting
- Inadequate lighting
- Lack of guardrails
These types of accidents fall under premises liability, which is a category of personal injury law meant to hold property owners responsible for negligent behavior in the upkeep of their property. The property owner not maintaining their property correctly caused a slip and fall accident. They can be held liable for damages in a slip and fall claim.
Who Can Be Held Liable in a Slip & Fall Claim?
In almost all cases of slip and fall accidents, the property owner is held liable for damages. Premises liability applies, which is a category of personal injury law that holds property owners accountable for negligent behavior. Leaving obstacles where guests walk without taking the proper steps to fix the issue is negligent behavior that a property owner may be liable for.
In some cases, an employee of a property can also be held liable if it was their job to fix the issue that caused the slip and fall accident. For example, let’s say a manager tasks a custodian with mopping up a spill. If they failed to leave a wet floor sign after mopping, that is a negligent action that could leave them both liable in a slip and fall case.
Property Owners Can Be Held Liable for Slip and Fall Accidents Caused by Negligence
A slip and fall accident can happen when a property owner’s negligence leads to a hazard that causes someone to lose their balance and fall to the ground. This type of accident can happen in hospitals, schools, workplaces, restaurants, and private residences. A public or private property owner must ensure it is safe to walk around their property.
The following are some of the hazards that could cause a slip and fall accident:
- Wet floors without a proper wet floor sign
- Loose flooring or tiles
- Uneven surfaces
- Exposed cords and wires
- Missing steps
- Unsalted ice
- Parking lot potholes
- Poor lighting
- Elevated surface without a railing
A property owner can be held liable for damages caused by a slip and fall accident if their negligence is the reason for the hazard and slip and fall accident. Some negligent behavior that can leave them liable includes not leaving a caution sign to warn visitors about the danger or failing to act promptly to fix the issue.
Common Slip & Fall Injuries
A slip and fall accident can result in a person falling and colliding with a hard surface, which can cause significant damage to a body part and result in severe injury. An injury can result from someone slipping and falling on their back, head, shoulder, arm, or hip. The pressure generated from the impact on the floor can cause a bone fracture or injure the muscles, tendons, and ligaments of various body parts.
The following are some of the injuries you can suffer during a slip and fall accident:
- Traumatic brain injuries (TBIs)
- Traumatic brain injuries (TBIs)
- Back and neck injuries
- Spinal cord injuries
- Hip fractures
- Facial injuries
- Shoulder injuries
- Broken bones
The severity of your injury serves as the crux of your slip and fall accident claim. Your most expensive damage will most likely be your medical bills. A severe injury could result in expensive medical bills, which can raise the value of your claim. Speak to a slip and fall accident lawyer and medical experts to get an evaluation of the cost of your injuries and damages.
Damages in a Slip & Fall Claim
Damages are losses that a personal injury victim suffers due to their personal injury incident. Any loss associated with your slip and fall can be pursued through a lawsuit. The following are some of the damages you can pursue compensation for in a slip and fall claim:
- Medical bills
- Lost wages
- Lost earning potential
- Disability costs
- Mental anguish
- Pain and suffering
- Loss of society
- Loss of enjoyment of life
- Loss of consortium
- Loss of companionship
How Much Is Your Slip & Fall Claim Worth?
The value of your slip and fall claim comes down to four factors:
- The severity of your injuries
- The medical cost of your injuries
- Other damages you suffered
- Whether you share blame for the accident
After suffering a severe injury, you will have to receive medical treatment. This can include costs for surgery, medication, ambulatory services, hospitalization, and physical therapy. The more severe your injuries and higher the medical costs, the more your claim could be worth.
Slip and Fall Accident Claim Value Increased by Expensive Economic Damages
Economic damages are where most people start to calculate the value of their slip and fall claims. These are financial losses a slip and fall accident victim suffers due to their severe injuries. Medical bills are common in all personal injury claims and have to do with the cost of medical treatment. Following a slip and fall accident, you must go to the hospital for medical treatment, such as medication, physical therapy, or surgery. The cost of your medical treatment can add value to your slip and fall accident claim. The at-fault party can be liable for the medical expenses associated with your slip and fall accident injuries.
You can also suffer wage-based economic damages the at-fault party can have to compensate you for. Lost wages are those you lose because you need to take time away from work to recover from your severe slip and fall accident injuries. Your injuries could also make it impossible for you to return to work. For example, a bus driver who suffers a broken leg from a slip and fall accident injury may experience long-term damage to their leg that prevents them from driving, meaning they cannot continue in their career. In this case, they could pursue compensation for lost earning potential.
How to Calculate the Non-Economic Damages Associated With Your Slip and Fall Accident Claim
How your daily life and quality of life are affected by your slip and fall accident injuries can also contribute to the value of your claim. A slip and fall accident lawyer can help you pursue compensation for non-economic damages, which are intangible costs that have to do with your reduced quality of life. Slip and fall accident injuries can lead to depression, anxiety, alienation, and lowered self-esteem, which can all affect how you live your life.
The following are some of the non-economic damages you could pursue compensation for in a slip and fall accident claim:
- Pain and suffering
- Loss of enjoyment of life
- Mental anguish
- Loss of consortium or companionship
- Loss of society
A slip and fall accident lawyer can help you calculate the value of your non-economic damages through two methods: the multiplier method or the “per diem” method. The multiplier method involves multiplying your economic damages by a number ranging from one to five, depending on the severity of your suffering. The “per diem” method involves determining a fair value that reflects your daily suffering. You can receive a sum of money to compensate you for reduced quality of life every day until maximum medical improvement.
A Slip and Fall Accident Lawyer Can Help You Calculate the Value of Your Claim
While a slip and fall accident victim can handle the claims process independently, they’ll likely make a mistake due to inexperience. Slip and fall lawyers have vast experience with these types of claims. They know the best way to handle them. They know what steps to take and when and other essential information. Hiring a lawyer can put you in the best position to recover fair compensation for your damages.
Hiring a slip and fall accident lawyer can help with the process of calculating the value of your slip and fall accident claim. They can use their experience to inform your damage calculations based on what their clients have received in the past. Your slip and fall accident claim’s value can range from five to six figures, and they can help you calculate your damages to find an accurate monetary value you can pursue.
Once you file your slip and fall accident claim after that value is determined, they can help you pursue that amount by collecting evidence to prove the at-fault party’s liability, negotiating with the at-fault party’s insurance company, and representing you in court.
Insurance companies will do everything they can to deny, delay, or devalue your claim. They do this to keep their profits up and reduce the value of your claim. A slip and fall accident attorney has seen every attempt from an insurance company to limit a claim’s value. We know the best ways to combat these attempts to ensure you receive fair compensation.
Contact The Russo Firm for Help With Your Slip and Fall Accident Claim
The Russo Firm is a personal injury law firm with slip and fall accident lawyers who have specific experience helping fall victims recover compensation for injuries. We know how a property owner’s negligence can lead to a slip and fall accident and can use that knowledge to inform your claims process. Allow our slip and fall accident attorneys to use their vast experience, along with the firm’s resources, to increase your chances of recovering fair compensation for your slip and fall accident damages. We offer free consultations to slip and fall accident victims to show how we can help them recover compensatory damages. Take advantage of our free consultations by contacting us today at (561) 270-0913 or leaving a message on our online contact page.
