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Thomas Carroll Blauvelt

3 losses people can recover after a slip-and-fall incident

The term premises liability refers to the legal and financial responsibility of businesses and property owners. When unsafe property conditions lead to people getting hurt, they may be able to pursue a premises liability claim against a business or individual property owner.

Premises liability lawsuits and insurance claims often focus on how one party was negligent regarding facility maintenance. A successful premises liability claim can help an injured party recoup some of their losses after a slip-and-fall or similar incident. People who slip or trip and fall at a business could break bones or even injure their brains. They may have major expenses to address.

What types of damages can people recoup after a slip-and-fall incident?

Medical expenses

A slip-and-fall or trip-and-fall could lead to a brain injury. People with brain injuries may have tens of thousands of dollars in medical expenses to consider. Others might break bones when they fall. The cost of treating a fracture can be far beyond what most people anticipate. A fracture of a long bone, such as the femur, tibia or humerus, can incur major medical expenses. Research estimates that care costs could amount to $35,000 per affected long bone.

Lost wages

The injuries produced by a slip-and-fall could impact an individual’s ability to work and support themselves. In some cases, the workers could lose weeks of wages while they recover from their injuries. In more severe cases, they may have permanently reduced earning potential because of the long-term medical consequences of their injuries. Blue-collar employees and those with brain injuries may have significant lost wages to recover after a slip-and-fall incident.

Property damage losses

When people slip or trip and fall, they can damage their personal property. People might break their mobile phones when they fall, which can cost hundreds of dollars to repair or replace. In cases involving significant injuries, health care professionals might cut an individual’s clothing off during emergency care. That clothing could be worth a substantial amount of money if it is part of a professional wardrobe or from a designer collection. People can also damage or lose jewelry in a slip-and-fall incident. They could break valuable wristwatches or lose a ring as they flail their arms because of the fall.

Determining the overall economic impact of a slip-and fall incident can help people request an appropriate amount of compensation. Many injured people need to consult with an attorney to calculate their long-term economic losses. Properly calculating the financial impact of a slip-and-fall incident can help people hold the right party accountable for the costs generated by unsafe property conditions.

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