Compensation for slip and fall accidents, like all accidents, can vary significantly. After all, the amount of compensation you receive for an injury is tied to how serious your injuries are.
Ultimately, the only way to know how much you should receive for your damages after a slip and fall is to speak with an experienced attorney. An attorney will be able to evaluate your situation, calculate your expenses, and advocate for your rights.
If you have been injured in a slip and fall and are unsure what to do next, please don’t hesitate to reach out to the attorneys at Hauptman, O’Brien, Wolf, & Lathrop, P.C. for a free case review.
Nature and Extent of Your Injuries
It’s important to understand that property owners are legally responsible for maintaining the safety of their properties. When they neglect this duty and that negligence leads to another party’s injuries, they may be held responsible for compensating the victim for their damages.
But how, exactly, are these damages calculated?
The first place to start is the nature and extent of your injuries, which directly correlates to the cost of medical treatment. If your fall results in a minor fracture, your medical expenses probably aren’t going to be too high. On the other hand, if you have a traumatic brain injury or a spinal cord injury, treatment can get much more complicated – and expensive.
The negligent party should be held responsible for these expenses, no matter what they are. In addition, you and your attorney must consider not only immediate expenses but also future expenses. For example, will you require ongoing rehab and treatment to fully heal? If so, these costs should also be part of your claim against the negligent property owner.
Lost Wages & Earning Ability
Unfortunately, for many slip and fall victims, the damage doesn’t end with the expenses for medical treatment. If you are seriously injured, you might also be unable to work. And, in some cases, your ability to earn money in the future will be lessened because of your injuries. You may even be unable to return to your job due to the injuries you have sustained. These losses are another key component of the compensation you pursue.
The wages you have lost up till now are relatively easy to calculate. Your lawyer can get a sense of the income you are owed based on a review of pay stubs or income tax returns, then extrapolate for the length of time you’ve been unable to work.
The wages you might miss out on in the future, however, are not as easy to quantify. This is where you will need to rely on your attorney’s experience and legal acumen, along with the opinion of expert witnesses. For example, medical experts can testify to the severity of your injuries, while an expert in your profession can testify about how such an injury may affect your earning potential.
Quality of Life
While some of the damages you should pursue relate directly to money – either direct expenses like medical bills or anticipated expenses like lost earning capacity – others relate more to the impact a slip and fall injury can have on your life even after the healing.
For many, slip and falls are serious, traumatic events that can have long-standing, challenging consequences on one’s well-being. After all, it can be extremely difficult to face serious injuries, lose the ability to work, deal with obstacles in your career development, and more.
As a result, you could be facing psychological and emotional challenges that make your day-to-day life less enjoyable.
While money can’t make these issues go away, they can make coping with them easier, which is why the law allows victims of slip and fall accidents to pursue damages related to the diminishment of their quality of life.
Again, it’s important to remember that if someone neglected their legal duty to ensure the safety of their property, then they should be held responsible for the consequences. And, at our firm, we believe they should be held responsible to the full extent the law allows, which includes damages related to pain, suffering, and loss of enjoyment of life.
Additional Damages to Consider
While we’ve covered many of the most common damages associated with slip and fall accidents, it’s important to consider all expenses and personal consequences of your injuries.
For example, some accident victims need to modify their homes to accommodate their injuries, and they are sometimes able to receive compensation for these home modifications.
Other damages to consider include:
- Incidental expenses
- Surgical costs
- Ambulance bills
- Rehabilitation expenses
- Loss of consortium
- Mental anguish and PTSD
While this might seem like an exhaustive list, the only way to know for sure if you’re covering all your bases is to work with an attorney who can evaluate your situation, perform a thorough investigation, and help you collect and compile the evidence you need to win your claim for as much compensation as you deserve under the law.
Find Out What Your Slip and Fall Accident Case Is Worth
Slip and falls are unique cases and require attorneys who are familiar with the many nuances they can entail. At Hauptman, O’Brien, Wolf, & Lathrop, P.C., we’re committed to leaving no stone unturned when calculating our clients’ damages, and we’re here for you during this difficult time to ensure your rights are being protected.
You can be sure that neither the property owner nor their insurance company will be quick to pay you the compensation you deserve after an accident. In fact, they may be highly experienced at avoiding and fighting such claims.
We’re here to even the playing field, ensuring you receive the legal representation to obtain the compensation you need to get your life back.
To get started with a free case review, please contact us online or give us a call at (402) 241-5020. Our slip and fall lawyers serve clients in Omaha, Sarpy County, and nearby areas of Nebraska and Iowa.