If you were harmed through the negligence of a property owner or store employee, you have a legal right to seek compensation after a slip and fall. The exact amount owed to you can vary widely depending on circumstances, which is why it's crucial to have a legal professional on your side fighting to ensure you get the full and fair amount.
Types of Pennsylvania Slip and Fall Compensation
Absolutely any slip and fall can result in major injuries with serious long-term repercussions. Broken bones, nerve damage, spinal cord injury, or even traumatic brain injuries are all possible from a fall. You may be eligible to recover damages for your:
- Loss of wages if you couldn’t work temporarily while recovering, can’t return to the same type of work in the future, or are unable to work at all anymore
- Medical bills from the initial accident and any ongoing treatment required
- Pain and suffering
- Out-of-pocket and incidental expenses
The specific amount you are owed through a settlement or court judgment will vary depending on the severity of the injury and how drastically it impacts your daily life. Permanent paralysis and a diagnosis that requires constant care will be worth more than a single broken bone with short term effects, for instance.
That’s why it is extremely important to visit a doctor after a slip and fall, even if you don’t immediately feel injured. Besides establishing a paper trail if you need to recover damages, you may also have internal injuries that aren’t visible and can cause severe problems later. Pennsylvania law also allows recovery for costs likely to be incurred in the future, such as if you require ongoing physical therapy or will need additional surgeries.
Some factors in the value of your slip and fall case are relatively simple to calculate, such as the final cost you were charged for an ambulance ride and hospital stay, or the exact amount of money lost for days you couldn’t work. Others are less clear cut than simply adding up hourly wages and may require expert witnesses to quantify.
For example, you may lose out on future earnings if you were due for a promotion at some point in the future, and you may incur costs from learning a new skill if your injury prevents you from returning to the same kind of work as before. Additional intangible effects like pain and suffering or a reduction in overall quality of life after an accident can have a large impact on the value of your case.
Why You Need an Attorney to Recover Compensation After a Slip and Fall
To put a specific value on your potential slip and fall compensation, you need an experienced premises liability attorney to thoroughly investigate your case. Whether you took a tumble in a grocery store aisle, slipped on an improperly maintained sidewalk, or sustained an injury due to a poorly lit staircase, receiving a settlement or having a successful court outcome hinges on proving negligence.
The property owner, store manager, work crew, or another party must have been aware of the problem and failed to address it in a timely manner in order to recover damages. To meet that legal standard, you need the help of a lawyer to gather and analyze evidence.
A skilled attorney can also overcome common defenses by the at-fault party or insurance carriers who may try to avoid paying what you are owed. The value of your damages may be reduced if the other side can show that the accident was partially your fault, for instance. In particular, you should seek the help of a premises liability attorney with:
- Calling on economic and medical experts to explain the financial and health costs of your injury
- Corresponding with insurance adjusters and legal representation for the negligent party
- Releasing your medical records that are only relevant to the slip and fall injury
- Utilizing eyewitness testimony as well as video or photo evidence to establish the fall occurred due to negligence and caused your injury
Get Help Now If You Were Hurt in a Slip and Fall Accident
Let us know the basic facts of your case through our online contact form. We’ll be in touch to get more info and determine if a full investigation should be conducted to help you recover the maximum amount possible for your slip and fall.
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