Slips and falls are more serious than many people realize, leaving victims with major injuries and personal and financial losses. If you were involved in a slip and fall in Houston, you will only get one chance to either settle the case or try it in court. This makes it critical to understand the potential damages that are available.
When you retain a skilled law firm, you can rest assured that your lawyer will fight for the full amount of damages that you deserve. That’s the commitment you can expect from Hernandez Sunosky, LLP.
Economic Damages
Economic damages are those which can readily be reduced to a dollar amount. They concern objective financial losses, some of which have already been incurred and others which can reasonably be expected to arise in the future. Examples include:
- Medical bills: A slip and fall may require ambulance care, hospitalization, surgery, prescription pain medications, adaptive medical equipment, rehabilitation, and more. The victim can also seek compensation for estimated future medical needs like long-term care.
- Lost income: While the victim is recovering from their injuries, they will not be able to work. The victim can therefore claim missed wages resulting from their accident.
- Lost income-earning ability: This is also known as decreased earning capacity. Some Houston slip and fall victims cannot return to the same career or productivity level as before the accident. They will lose future income, bonuses, retirement benefits, and more as a result.
- Property damage: Slip and fall accidents can cause damage to the victim’s personal property. They can include compensation for damaged or destroyed items in their legal claims.
- Out-of-pocket expenses: Among these are incidental costs like transportation to medical appointments, parking expenses at the courthouse, and more. These expenses add up fairly quickly, so the victim should be sure to document them.
Non-Economic Damages
By contrast, non-economic damages are more subjective and harder (but not impossible) to calculate. These are intangible losses without a clear dollar value, but the victim can include them in a Houston slip and fall case. Here are some examples:
- Pain and suffering: Slips and falls can cause intense pain and discomfort, with long-term chronic problems likely.
- Emotional distress: This category covers anxiety, depression, post-traumatic stress disorder, and related emotional and psychological problems.
- Loss of enjoyment of life: A slip and fall can severely impact your ability to enjoy the life you once had. For instance, you may not be able to enjoy the activities you did before.
- Disfigurement and impairment: When victims suffer slip and fall accidents, they may also suffer disfigurement and impairment that can impact their normal daily functions and appearance.
- Loss of consortium: If a victim is unable to enjoy normal marital relations with their spouse, or a victim no longer has a normal parental relationship with their child, they may be able to claim loss of consortium.
Punitive Damages
Some slip and fall cases involve gross negligence or intentional misconduct. Victims in these cases may be able to seek punitive damages, which are designed to punish and deter the wrongful conduct. These are rare, but your Houston personal injury attorney can explore them.
You Deserve Justice; Let Us Help You Fight
Slips and falls are avoidable accidents that are nearly always attributable to someone’s negligence. Victims should not have to bear the personal, medical, and financial losses that result from them. If you or a loved one slipped and fell, it’s time to explore the damages to which you may be entitled.
Reach out to Hernandez Sunosky, LLP. We can review the circumstances of your case and get working on a personalized legal strategy aimed at seeking the maximum compensation you deserve. Schedule your free consultation with us today.