Slip and fall accidents often happen, resulting in serious injuries and costly medical bills. Most people wonder if they're entitled to compensation when injured on someone else's property. After all, your money can cover medical bills and compensate you for lost income. Keep reading to determine if you're entitled to good compensation after a slip and fall accident.
Compensation for Slips, Trips, and Falls
According to a California Business Journal report, the average compensation awarded to slip-and-fall victims ranges between $15,000 and $50,000. However, the specific amount will depend on the particulars of the case. To recover the full value, consult competent legal aid like Redding slip and fall lawyers immediately after the accident. A quick consultation call might clarify a lot about the legal options at your disposal.
What Affects the Size of Slip-and-Fall Settlements?
Since each slip and fall case is different, several factors will dictate your eventual payout. Some of them include the following:
Type of Injury
The compensation amount depends on how severe the injury is. Serious injuries will impact your life more, leading to higher medical expenses and more lost wages. These factors can increase your payout significantly.
Minor injuries lead to a low settlement because the impact isn't huge. However, remember that even a minor injury can affect your ability to perform daily tasks. That's why it's crucial to talk to an experienced personal injury attorney despite your injuries not being severe. Permanent injuries mean you'll be facing medical bills in the long term. This increases your compensation to cover future medical expenses.
Evidence
Like most personal injury cases, slip and fall depend on the collected evidence. This includes security camera footage, photos from the scene, and witness testimony. The more evidence you have, the stronger your case becomes. Therefore, collecting evidence immediately after the accident is a good idea. For instance, if you slip into a restaurant, the witnesses can leave once they're done eating before you can get their contact. While California laws limit you to two years to file a claim, the earlier you handle the case, the better.
Medical Bills
Medical bills are evidence. They show how much money you spent on the injuries sustained in an accident. How much you spend on medical bills will impact the amount of compensation you get. Ensure you have detailed documentation of your treatment records plus a doctor's testimony about the extent of the injuries.
Common Causes of Slip and Fall Accidents
Most slip-and-fall accidents happen because the building landlords, local councils, and businesses don't take the proper safety, maintenance, and repair measures to keep the public safe. The common causes of slip and fall accidents include the following:
- Damaged pavements and pathways
- Icy pavements and wet floors
- Poor lighting
- Unexpected obstacles
- Uneven steps of flooring
Proving You're Entitled to Good Compensation in a Slip and Fall Accident
Not everyone injured in a slip and fall accident is entitled to compensation. You will need to prove negligence. You can file a personal injury claim if the property owner's negligence led to your injuries. Remember that properties aren't always in perfect condition. You'll have to provide sufficient evidence that the conditions that caused you to fall were unreasonable.
This is another reason to hire an attorney who will prove the property owner was aware of the hazard but failed to fix it. Alternatively, they can show that the conditions have existed for a long time, and any reasonable property owner should have known and addressed the issue.
Starting a Slip and Fall Claims Process
Even when a case looks simple, you may be surprised how hard it is to persuade the defendant's insurance company to compensate you for the injuries. And if you get it wrong, the insurer may refuse to compensate you. As such, hire an attorney to increase your chances of getting fair compensation.
The compensation you get from a slip and fall accident will depend on the injuries you have sustained and your legal representation. Don't pursue the case alone. Let an attorney experienced in slip and fall accidents represent you and increase your chances of a positive income.
