When someone is injured in a slip and fall accident that was negligently caused, the victim typically knows they have damages that should be compensated. However, you might not know all the damages you can claim.
Our lawyers have extensive experience assessing these claims and can help you calculate your damages accurately. Damages can typically be divided into two categories: economic and non-economic losses. Your economic damages will include losses like medical expenses, lost wages, and property damage. You can also claim non-economic damages or “pain and suffering.” This includes compensation for personal issues like physical pain and emotional anguish. Accurately assessing your damages correctly is important as it not only helps prove liability but ensures you do not overlook compensation you might need later.
For a free evaluation of your case with our Maryland slip and fall accident lawyers, contact Rice, Murtha & Psoras by calling (410) 694-7291.
Can I Get Economic Damages for a Slip and Fall Accident in Maryland?
After getting injured in a slip and fall accident, you can recover a range of damages. One major component of your total losses will be your economic damages. Your non-economic damages will make up the other portion of the losses you claim in your lawsuit, discussed further below. The best way to ensure you assess all of these damages accurately is to work with our Baltimore slip and fall accident lawyers. Once we have calculated your damages, we can fight to get them in your case. The following are the economic damages you can claim for slip and fall injuries in Maryland:
Medical Expenses
Much of your economic damages will be composed of your medical expenses. Depending on when treatment started, you could have bills for ambulance rides, visiting the emergency room, and many other forms of care.
If your injuries are significant, you might have medical expenses you have not even considered or your doctor has only discussed. Part of our job is assessing both your current and future medical costs. It is not uncommon for slip and fall accidents to cause severe musculoskeletal injuries, like full fractures, broken ankles, and torn ligaments. These injuries often require months, if not years, of physical therapy to fully recover from. Our team will work with medical experts to help calculate your future needs.
Lost Wages
You will also be able to claim lost wages if your injuries keep you out of work. Typically, our lawyers will use paychecks and tax returns to prove your lost income, but you are not limited in what you can claim. You can pursue your daily rate of pay for each day of work your injuries forced you to miss.
Like your medical expenses, our attorneys can also determine if you will have future employment losses. This includes the loss of earning capacity from having to take a new job or position, as well as the loss of likely bonuses, overtime, and other professional opportunities.
Property Damage
Property damage can also be recovered in your lawsuit. When people slip and fall, it is common for their personal belongings to go flying. Further, you might break important personal property in your hand or on you, like your smartphone or an expensive watch, while attempting to break your fall. Our team can gather any receipts, estimates, or other documents that prove the value of your items.
Out-of-Pocket Expenses
It can take significant time and effort to treat a slip and fall injury, so you might have incurred many out-of-pocket expenses. Perhaps you have transportation costs, like gas or Uber rides, to make it to meetings with your attorney and doctor. Additionally, you might have added expenses from childcare costs for your children.
If you need to make accommodations to your residence, your out-of-pocket expenses will likely be substantial. For instance, if you need to install a chair to take you up the stairs in your home, we will be sure to include the costs of parts and installation in your lawsuit.
What Non-Economic Damages Can I Claim After a Slip and Fall Accident in Maryland?
Non-economic damages represent the losses that cannot be added up like bills. These damages are intended to compensate you for the subjective harm you have suffered. Most people know these damages as “pain and suffering.”
Fortunately, your pain and suffering can be shown in a number of ways. Your medical records will demonstrate the severity of your injuries, from which we can argue that you will likely live with physical pain for a certain time.
We can also show your pain and suffering by demonstrating the emotional distress your injuries have placed you under. This could have led to worse conditions developing, like depression.
In most cases, we will have you testify to how your injuries have impacted your life. We will be sure to note any effects on your enjoyment of life, including missing out on activities with your friends and family or any hobbies you cannot participate in anymore.
However, you must take care not to do anything to contract claims of pain and suffering. A prime example is posting messages and pictures on your social media. If you claim that your injuries kept you from playing basketball, but the defendant’s attorney finds a picture of you playing after the accident, it will jeopardize your claim. As a general rule, do not discuss your case with anyone other than your attorney, and keep from posting any photos or videos online.
What Do I Need to Do to Recover Damages for My Slip and Fall Injuries in Maryland?
To get compensation for your damages, you will need evidence of both your damages and the negligent party’s liability. When our team fights a claim, we first prove liability before moving on to damages.
To prove fault, we need to gather evidence that the defendant owed you a duty of care. We will then need evidence that they breached this duty. This could result from an act of carelessness, like failing to clean a spill or not putting up a wet floor sign after mopping.
Next, we will need to prove that the defendant caused your slip and fall accident. This generally means showing that it was not your own fault or someone other than the defendant’s. Causation is proven in several ways, usually through a combination of accident reports, witness testimony, medical records, and whatever else is relevant to your particular case.
Lastly, we will address the damages the defendant caused, which are discussed in more detail above.
Our Maryland Slip and Fall Accident Lawyers Can Help
Call Rice, Murtha & Psoras today at (410) 694-7291 for a free review of your case with our Germantown, MD slip and fall accident attorneys.