Premises Liability Lawyer
Many of us have experienced slipping or tripping and falling. Other than a bruising of our pride if we did this in public, we are hopefully fortunate enough to not end up with any injuries from the incident. But for more than 800,000 people in this country each year, that fall ends up ending in a trip to the hospital for treatment of serious injuries. Common injuries include head trauma, brain injury, fractured bones, back or neck injury, and in some cases, the victim can even suffer internal injuries. When the fall is a result of negligence on the part of a property owner or other responsible party, the victim may be able to pursue a premises liability lawsuit to recover financial compensation for the losses their injuries have caused them.
How Much Do Premises Liability Injuries Cost?
If it has never happened to you, it may sound incredulous that a slip and fall could end up costing a victim a significant amount of money. But the reality is that many victims are left with injuries that require emergency room treatment, surgeries, hospital stays, diagnostic tests, rehabilitation, and more. The medical bills for all of these needs can run into hundreds of thousands of dollars and even if the victim has health insurance, it is rare that their insurance provides 100 percent coverage for these bills.
Now factor in the loss of income the victim will have if they are unable to work while they recover. Most people only have a limited amount of sick and vacation time which can be quickly gobbled up, leaving them without an income for weeks or even months while they recover. However, their household bills and expenses keep piling up while they are unable to work. In many cases, the victim may be left with permanent disabilities and can never return to their job.
What Damages Can Be Pursued?
If you have been injured in a slip and fall accident, a premises liability lawyer may be able to help you obtain compensation for the following, depending on the circumstances of your accident:
- Medical expenses, also including any future expenses if you are left with long-term or permanent health issues from the fall
- Lost wages and benefits, including any future income if you are unable to return to your prior profession or are unable to work at all
- Pain and suffering
- Mental anguish
- Permanent disability
- Disfigurement
- Scarring
- Loss of life enjoyment
In some cases, if there was extreme negligence or recklessness on the part of the property owner, the victim may even be entitled to punitive damages. These damages are completely separate from economic or non-economic damages as they are meant to punish the owner for their shocking bad behavior and to send a message to the public that this type of behavior will not be tolerated.
If you have been injured in a slip and fall accident or other type of premises liability incident, make sure you have a seasoned premises liability lawyer advocating for you.
