Injuries that result from a serious slip and fall can accumulate some hefty expenses, ranging from the medical bills to difficulties at work. When your accident and the resulting injuries occurred due to hazardous conditions on someone’s property, then you may be able to recover some of these damages by filing a personal injury lawsuit. By filing a slip and fall lawsuit, however, you need to prove that the property owner was negligent regarding hazardous conditions on his/her property.
Calculating the award for a slip and fall case can be difficult, as every case and every venue (where you file the lawsuit) is different. However, at the Love Law Firm in Charleston, West Virginia, one of the first questions we come across is, “How much is my slip and fall claim worth?” In the following paragraphs, we’ve described some of the basic elements of the award for a slip and fall case.
In the meantime, if you’ve been injured due to the negligence or wrongdoing of another, call Charleston WV slip and fall attorney Charles M. Love today.
Medical Expenses
Imagine you’re in Charleston, and on the steps of a building in the downtown area. You slip on the edge of a step, severely injuring your back. You later discover that skateboarders have been intensely waxing the building steps, and the property owner hadn’t done anything for months to make the steps more secure.
Because the property owner was negligent in removing the hazardous conditions, and since the hazardous conditions were there for months and the property owner didn’t do anything to rectify the problem (hence, the property owner knew about the hazard), then you shouldn’t have to bear the full weight of the financial expenses alone. One of the most important financial damages in a slip and fall case is related to the medical expenses. Often, these expenses are costly, and a valid slip and fall claim is usually worth at least the value of the medical bills.
Future Medical Expenses
In addition to present medical bills, your slip and fall lawsuit should also consider the value of possible future medical bills. In the example above, the back injury may present medical challenges further down the road, such as future surgeries or doctor visits. As such, it’s essential to consider the full extent of your injuries, and how these injuries may progress over the years. An experienced personal injury attorney can help evaluate your claims and estimate a fair and reasonable amount that aims to cover future medical expenses.
Lost Wages
Aside from the medical expenses, you also need to consider your wages at work. Following the slip and fall injury, and as you’re getting better, you may not be able to go to work. This is especially true if your work demands physical activity, such as lifting. If the injury resulted in a loss of wages from work, you may be able to recover this money in your lawsuit.
A thorough personal injury lawsuit backed by a prominent attorney will also consider lost wages as an essential component of the lawsuit. In this case, your employer will likely have to verify the amount you earn and the time you missed.
Loss of Future Earning Capacity
If the injury was so severe that you are no longer capable of performing the work you once did before you were hurt, and you are unable to earn as much as you did previously, you may also litigate to recover this lost earning capacity. Generally, a vocational rehabilitation specialist (or another expert) will need to offer testimony supporting your claim, and you may have to undergo evaluations for your injuries, your occupation, and your prospects for future work.
Other Expenses
Many individuals also incur other expenses related to their injuries, such as travel expenses to and from the hospital. Other awards, such as awards for pain and suffering, may be available in the event of particularly severe injuries. Furthermore, if the injury led to a change in lifestyle—becoming paralyzed, for example, will require medical and mobility equipment at home and elsewhere—you may be able to recover damages for these expenses as well.
Contact our Charleston WV Law Office for Your Case
At the Love Law Firm in Charleston, WV, one of our main goals is to make sure that you receive a fair and reasonable award for the injury-related expenses incurred. Slip and fall attorney Charles M. Love has worked on numerous successful lawsuits in the past, and attorney Love understands many of the components involved in the lawsuit’s awards. To speak with attorney Love about your slip and fall case, and how much the case may be worth, call our Charleston WV law firm today at (304) 344-5683. Free consultations are available.
