After suffering embarrassment and an injury in a slip, trip, or fall accident, a victim often wants to know how much his case is worth—and rightfully so. Because pursuing a legal claim can be time-consuming and people want to get their lives back to normal, some victims often choose not to pursue a case if they don’t think it is worth very much. But the value of a slip and fall accident claim may be surprising.
Even what may seem to be a minor injury may be worth pursuing and may even be worth more money than you would expect. This is because there are many costs involved with any type of injury, from the medical costs to the out-of-pocket expenses you may have occurred as a result of the injury.
Let’s look at the following possible losses your accident may have already cost you:
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Medical costs. At the minimum, a slip and fall injury claim is worth the total of your medical bills. This means adding up all medical costs related to your injury, including any emergency room visits, tests, surgery, hospital stays, prescription drugs, physical therapy, and even projected medical costs for the future. This may even include in-home nursing care.
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Lost income. If the injury you suffered kept you away from work and unable to collect a paycheck or the normal amount of wages you would have earned, you are likely able to collect the value of your wages. And you may even be able to collect for your lost earning capacity—that is, if the injuries you suffered prevent you from earning the same type of living in the future.
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Out-of-pocket costs. These types of expenses may include the cost of transportation to get back and forth to the doctor’s office or physical therapy appointments. It can also include expenses for hiring people to help you around the house (e.g., childcare, housekeeping, cooking, and even yard work) if you are not able to perform your regular chores.
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Pain and suffering. In many instances, victims of slip and fall accidents are able to collect for their pain and suffering (a legal term used to describe someone’s emotional trauma and mental anguish caused from an injury).
While some premises liability cases may be worth thousands of dollars, others settle for hundreds of thousands or even millions—depending on the extent of one’s injuries. Although each slip and fall injury claim will have a unique value due to the specific circumstances involved, they should all place a value on a victim’s physical pain, emotional trauma, and financial losses. To talk about the value of your case, please don’t hesitate to reach us online or call us directly at 800.362.9329 for a free consultation.
