Millions of people end up in the hospital every year after slipping and falling. That is according to a study by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. These slips and falls can lead to many different types of injuries, from broken bones and sprained ankles to catastrophic injuries include head trauma and spinal cord injury.
If you have slipped and fallen on the property of another person or public property then you may be able to sue for damages. Keep reading to learn more about the potential damages you may be eligible to recover. Then contact Law Offices of Fernando D. Vargas at 909-982-0707 for a free legal consultation.
You may be eligible for special or economic damages
Special damages, which are also referred to sometimes as economic damages, include out-of-pocket damages that you can document. For example, economic damages may include loss of future earning capacity, damage to your property (i.e. if your glasses broke), medical costs, loss of earnings, and lost wages.
If the slip and fall was serious then you may need long-term care for debilitating injuries. This may require that you include other costs in your economic damages such as physical rehabilitation, vocational rehabilitation, or even nursing care. It is not simple to calculate these long-term costs but your attorney can help.
You may be eligible for general damages
General damages are losses that are not tangible and for which you cannot give specific documentation. You will need to document the injury and that they caused these general damages, but there is no documentation to show how much they cost. Examples of general damages including mental anguish, pain and suffering, and loss of consortium.
When you work with a premises liability attorney, we will help you find the value of intangible losses. We will look at the injuries, the damages that resulted from the injuries, and past cases to determine what a reasonable amount of general damages would be.
Punitive damages are rare
Punitive damages are not given in an attempt to compensate you but rather to punish the person who was responsible for the accident. Most personal injury cases do not include the award of punitive damages. Judges only award them if the actions of the defendant were particularly dangerous and the judge believes that punitive damages will help prevent similar behavior on the future.
Call today for a free legal consultation
The bottom line is that every slip and fall case is unique. Every case involves different types of injuries and damages. The evidence is different in each case. In some cases, the injured party may have been partially at fault for the accident, which will decrease their award.
The best way to find out what your options are and whether or not you likely have a case is to contact Law Offices of Fernando D. Vargas at 909-982-0707 for a free legal consultation.
