Slip and Fall Attorneys in Lake Mary
A serious fall can happen while working, walking on the side of the road, or shopping at your local grocery store. Our slip and fall attorneys in Lake Mary know how traumatic these accidents can be, and we are passionate about helping the injured obtain the compensation they deserve.
If you’d like to speak with a member of our team, please call 561-299-3999. We are available 24/7.
If you’d like to speak with a member of our team, please call 561-299-3999. We are available 24/7.
What Is My Slip and Fall Claim Worth?
Being involved in an accident that has left you injured can be devastating. You may not be able to return to work for some time, medical expenses may be piling up, your usual routines may be disrupted, and you may be struggling to make ends meet. Our slip and fall attorneys in Lake Mary understand the adversity you are facing, and we are here to help.
These circumstances have probably left you wondering what your premises liability claim is worth. While there is no way to predict exactly what your settlement is going to be, your attorney can investigate your case to estimate your potential recovery.
The following factors are likely to influence the value of your personal injury claim:
These circumstances have probably left you wondering what your premises liability claim is worth. While there is no way to predict exactly what your settlement is going to be, your attorney can investigate your case to estimate your potential recovery.
The following factors are likely to influence the value of your personal injury claim:
- Your Level of Liability: One of the most important steps in a personal injury claim is proving liability. If it is proven that your own negligence may have contributed to your losses in any way, your compensation may be significantly reduced to reflect your share of the liability. For example, if your doctor told you to stay home and rest but you are spotted at the office, the insurance company could argue that you did not do your duty to mitigate damages and that your negligence has resulted in the aggravation of your injuries. You may then be held liable for some or all your damages.
- Medical Expenses: Your medical bills are likely piling up. All your doctor’s visits, treatments, medical procedures, physiotherapy sessions, and medications can be included as part of your claim. Minor injuries will typically cost less to treat than more serious injuries or permanent disabilities. As such, the severity of your injuries may have a notable influence on the potential value of your reward.
- Lost Income and Future Earning Potential: If you are unable to work during your recovery or you cannot work at full capacity because of your injuries, you can include these lost wages as part of your claim. The difference in your salary before and after the accident, as well as the duration of your absence from work, will greatly influence your potential recovery. If you are unable to ever return to the same line of work due to your injuries, you may also be able to include compensation for lost future earning potential as part of your claim.
- Additional Accident-Related Expenses: Any additional accident-related costs that you incurred can also be included as part of your claim. For example, you may have had to pay for childcare, alternative forms of transportation, home modifications, replacement or repairs of your property damaged in the fall, and even lunch at the hospital cafeteria. Be sure to keep receipts for all these additional expenses so that your Lake Mary slip and fall lawyer can factor them into your potential recovery.
The Types of Damages in a Personal Injury Claim
Understanding what you can claim for in a slip and fall case can be confusing without a lawyer to guide you. Simply put, when you seek monetary compensation in a personal injury lawsuit, there are two types of damages (or losses) that you may be able to claim for. These damages can be either punitive or compensatory. The latter aims to place you in the financial position you would have been in had the accident or injury not happened.
Since punitive damages, which are designed to punish the at-fault person for gross negligence or intentional misconduct, are usually only awarded in a small number of cases, we will focus on the more common compensatory damages. Here is a list of some compensatory losses you may be awarded:
Since punitive damages, which are designed to punish the at-fault person for gross negligence or intentional misconduct, are usually only awarded in a small number of cases, we will focus on the more common compensatory damages. Here is a list of some compensatory losses you may be awarded:
- Medical Bills: This will include the cost to you for past medical treatments and rehabilitation as well for those that you may need in the future. It is best to have a premises liability lawyer on your side, as they will use as much detail as possible of your medical treatment to prove your damages to improve your chances of an acceptable pay out.
- Funeral Costs: It is sad but true that not everyone survives serious injuries. In the instances that lives are lost to wrongful death, there will be funerals and the costs that come with them. If you have lost a loved one in an accident through no fault of their own, you may be entitled to claim the cost of funeral expenses from the liable party.
- Loss of Consortium: This can be brought by an immediate member (child, parent or spouse) of the injured or deceased person. Also known as loss of conjugal fellowship, loss of marital compatibility or loss of society, it may include damages for elements such as diminished affection, support, companionship etc. A family member must prove the value of loss in order to claim damages. Again, a good slip and fall lawyer will help demonstrate this in the best possible way.
- Life with a Disability: Most survivors of serious accidents are fortunate to emerge with injuries that will heal over time. However, some victims may have their lives significantly altered by a disability resulting from their incident. In these types of cases, compensation may be awarded to cover costs related to lifestyle changes, such as: alterations to the home to make it wheelchair-friendly, the cost of home caregiver, or regular physiotherapy.
Important Steps to Take After a Slip and Fall
What you do immediately after being involved in an accident that was not your fault can have a significant impact on your potential recovery if you plan to file a personal injury claim. While you may be disorientated and traumatized from the accident, try to keep calm, breathe, and assess the situation thoroughly.
Think carefully about your next steps, as the right actions could help lay the foundation for a strong personal injury case. Here are some steps you should always take after suffering an injury:
Think carefully about your next steps, as the right actions could help lay the foundation for a strong personal injury case. Here are some steps you should always take after suffering an injury:
- Seek Prompt Medical Care: You should go straight to your doctor when leaving the scene of an accident, even if you feel as though you did not suffer any serious injuries. Some symptoms of severe conditions are latent, and a prompt diagnosis will determine if you are truly in the clear or if you require further treatment. Seeking immediate medical attention will also mitigate disputes if you plan on filing a personal injury claim against the liable party. If you did not seek medical care promptly, the insurance company and other opposing parties may argue that your injuries from the accident couldn’t have been very serious if you did not require urgent medical attention. They may also assert that you did not mitigate your damages by seeking immediate medical care and that your negligence caused your condition to worsen. You may then be held partially or fully liable for your damages.
- Report the Accident: After being involved in a slip and fall, report it to the relevant authorities, including the business manager if applicable. This ensures that a paper trail exists that could later help to prove certain aspects of your claim.
- Be Meticulous About Keeping Records: You will need to produce evidence of your losses before receiving a financial reward, so be sure to be meticulous about tracking your damages, tangible and intangible. Keep all your medical bills, receipts for all accident-related expenses, paystubs reflecting your loss of income, and a personal injury journal to document your pain and discomfort.
Call Us Today to Speak with a Slip and Fall Lawyer in Lake Mary
We have an in-depth knowledge of Florida premises liability law, and we are ready to use that knowledge and our vast experience to help you fight for fair compensation. For a free case review, call 561-299-3999.