There are many more threats to your safety whenever you venture out into public than just the time when you are behind the wheel of your vehicle. Unfortunately, some of the most common hazards are those that can significantly increase the risk of a slip-and-fall accident once you have arrived at your destination. Whether it happens in a parking lot, grocery store, shopping outlet, sporting event venue, restaurant or some other commercial property, these unfortunate incidents occur far too frequently.
The severity of injuries suffered by slip-and-fall accident victims can vary from minor to life-threatening and even fatal. Some of the most commonly reported of these include cuts and lacerations, concussions and traumatic brain injuries, broken bones, neck injuries, and back and spinal cord injuries. Expensive medical bills, rehabilitation costs and time away from work are just some of the emotionally and financially stressful things you could be facing in the immediate aftermath of your accident.
Are you entitled to compensation by means of a premises liability claim?
Even though you may be embarrassed by the incident that caused you harm, and you’re probably currently overwhelmed dealing with all of the unfortunate repercussions, there is a strong chance that you have legal rights. While there may have been no foreseeable way to prevent a certain amount of slip-and-fall accidents, they are far too often the result of an oversight or lack of action taken by a property owner. Property owners must follow a duty of care in regard to maintaining adequate safety standards on their property.
Any failure by a property owner to keep the area in question safe can be grounds for a premises liability claim. Damages this type of lawsuit can allow you to pursue include the following:
- Economic damages: These are financial damages and can include your rehabilitation costs, compensation to cover income for missing time at work and restitution to cover many — if not all — of your medical expenses related to the incident.
- Non-economic damages: These are not directly related to your finances and can account for your emotional distress, pain and suffering, loss of consortium with family members and much more.
In certain cases, a court could award you with punitive damages. These situations happen when there has been gross oversight by a property owner, including incidents when someone purposely created or ignored unsafe conditions. No matter the uniqueness of your personal situation, by taking advantage of professional resources readily available to you, you can significantly increase the odds of receiving the maximum amount of compensation to which you have a right.
