Slip and Fall Accident Settlements
Many people who suffer slip and fall accident want to know what the average settlement is, especially if you or a loved one recently suffered a serious injury or even wrongful death. While no two slip and fall accident cases are the same, there is still a lot of information to be gathered from what an “average” slip and fall settlement may yield to victims.
The best way to understand how much your case is worth is by speaking directly to a Munley Law Personal Injury Attorneys slip and fall accident lawyer. At Munley Law Personal Injury Attorneys, we work on a contingency fee basis, which means we don't get paid unless we win your case. That means it's free to speak to a lawyer to understand your options and what your an expect. Contact us today.
How Much is the Average Slip and Fall Settlement?
The average slip and fall settlement can range from $10,000 to $50,000 and higher. However, it is important to realize that no one can accurately predict what the average slip and fall accident settlement will be as each case is unique.
Further, there are several factors that come into play when determining the amount of compensation a victim may receive following the injury.
A Munley slip and fall accident lawyer can review these factors and help you better understand what your case is most likely to yield.
What Factors Impact the Settlement Value of a Slip and Fall Case?
Following a slip and fall accident, you may be able to recover compensation for the losses that are equal to the financial costs of the injury as well as pain and suffering compensation.
Financial costs are those of out-of-pocket expenses that resulted from the accident. Further, the amount of compensation for pain and suffering will be calculated by the severity of the injuries you sustained.
While those are the basics of calculating a slip and fall settlement, there is more specific information that can greatly change your case's value.
Severity of Injuries
The severity of your injuries will greatly impact the value of your slip and fall claim. In cases of minor injury like cuts and bruises that did not result in any significant injury, it may not be worthwhile to bring forth legal action against the property owner.
However, if the injuries you sustained were more serious, or your insurance company will not cover all of the costs associated with the fall, it likely is worth it to bring forth a lawsuit.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), in 2015 alone, total medical costs associated with falls exceeded $50 billion. However, Medicare and Medicaid covered roughly 75% of those losses.
In cases where the injured party is not covered under Medicare or Medicaid, it will be up to the private insurance provider to cover those costs. Luckily, roughly 91% of Americans do have health insurance of some sort. However, for that 9% who is uninsured, these accidents can become costly.
Further, the extent of the injuries at the onset is not the only calculation to be made. Depending on the injuries sustained, the victim may face temporary or permanent disability and require lifelong rehabilitation, medication and medical treatment — all which can be financially detrimental to a family.
Because of this, it is critical to have a slip and fall attorney to help you calculate the total cost of your injury. Accepting a settlement too soon may mean you miss out on coverage for long-term health consequences from the fall.
Lost Wages
If you have suffered injuries, there is a chance you have not been able to attend work or you may have had to change to a lesser paying role because of your physical limitations following the injury.
In many cases, the victim may be out of work for days or weeks. In others, they may not be able to return to work at all.
Lost wages are a large part of the settlement calculation.
Property Damage
When we think of a slip and fall, we often don't think about the property that we own that can be damaged in the process.
Items like a cell phone, smart watch, even a laptop or other technology can be damaged in the fall. In those cases you may be able to seek compensation for that damaged property.
Pain and Suffering
Though not considered an economic damage, pain and suffering is an award that is calculated to compensate victims for the suffering that they may have gone through, or currently are experiencing, as a result of the accident.
This also may include the burden of the overall recovery process.
Reduced Earning Capacity
In the event of permanent disability, you may be able to secure compensation for reduced earning capacity.
Also, you may have had to switch to a new field of work, or taken a lesser paying position to accommodate your physical injuries. This award would work to cover some of those losses.
Does the Level of Liability Impact the Settlement Amount?
In addition to the injuries sustained and any financial losses incurred, the amount of liability each party holds can also impact the settlement amount. Depending on your state's laws surrounding liability, you may be able to seek compensation even if you were partially at fault for the slip and fall.
Instead, you have your compensation adjusted to the percentage of liability you hold. Or, you may just need to be less than 50% responsible for the accident.
A personal injury lawyer will be able to explain what your state laws are and how that impacts your ability to seek compensation.
How is Negligence Calculated?
Proving negligence will be the most difficult component of your slip and fall accident case. However, when successfully done, it can make the value of your settlement even larger.
In order to prove negligence, your slip and fall attorney will review:
- If the property owner owed you a duty of care
- The duty of care was breached
- The breach caused the accident and resulting injuries
- The victim has damages resulting from the accident
In addition, your legal team will also need to be able to prove that the property owner alone is responsible (in some cases). This is done by determining if:
- The property owner should have known about the dangerous condition
- The owner did know and did not fix it
- The owner was the cause of the dangerous condition
In these cases, time will be a critical factor. For example, if there is a spill in a grocery store that just occurred and the person walking behind the customer who caused the spill falls, it is nearly impossible that the store owner would have been able to remedy the situation that quickly.
However, if on the other hand the employee or owner knew of the spill for more than a few moments and did not clean it or at least put up signs that there was a spill and someone fell, the owner/employee is likely to be held accountable.
How can Munley Law Personal Injury Attorneys Help the Outcome of My Slip and Fall Settlement?
At Munley Law Personal Injury Attorneys, our slip and fall accident lawyers will work tirelessly to strengthen your case. A lawyer will help you gather evidence including:
- Medical records
- Medical bills
- Accident reports if available (which you should always file one when it occurs in a public setting)
- Witness statements
- Security camera footage if available
- Photographs from the incident illustrating the hazardous condition
Depending on where your slip and fall takes place will ultimately determine if you have access to some of these forms of evidence. While you may be met with resistance from a property owner to hand over security footage, a lawyer will likely be able to be more impactful in securing the evidence needed for your case.
Let Munley Law Personal Injury Attorneys Secure the Compensation For Your Slip and Fall Case
If you or a loved one have been injured as a result of a slip and fall accident, a lawyer from Munley Law Personal Injury Attorneys can help you recover the compensation you need to begin your recovery process and move on from this event.
Our lawyers can help you seek compensation for:
- Medical bills (both current and future)
- Lost income
- Costs associated with recovery
- Pain and suffering
- Diminished quality of life
- Disability
In cases of extreme neglect, you may also qualify for punitive damages.
Munley Law Personal Injury Attorneys Fights For You
If you are one of the more than 800,000 Americans who are hospitalized yearly for slip and fall accidents, you need the legal representation of Munley Law Personal Injury Attorneys.
For more than 60 years, the slip and fall attorneys at Munley Law Personal Injury Attorneys have been representing accident victims across Pennsylvania, New York, New Jersey, and Delaware. Recovering millions of dollars in settlements and verdicts on behalf of our clients, we want to do the same for you.
If you or a loved one have suffered an injury in a slip and fall accident, contact us today for a free consultation. We will evaluate the details of your case at no charge, and answer any questions you may have about what to do next. Further, we work on a contingency fee basis meaning you don't pay until we win. Call or fill out our contact form.
