Slipping and falling when you are away from home can be more problematic. With no help, you have to figure everything out independently, beginning with ensuring that you haven’t been hurt. But, if you have got hurt due to a slip and fall accident, you should go to the depth of it.
In some instances involving slip and fall, you tend to suffer losses and injuries even when you are being cautious. There are chances that the owners are responsible for your injury and should be held liable for their actions.
But what’s the right way to go about it and know whether the owner is liable?
A Miami slip and fall attorney is the best resource to take this forward legally. From helping you understand everything related to a slip and fall accident to ensure you get the compensation you deserve, they’ve covered you in all aspects.
Let’s learn more about it.
What Falls Under The Umbrella Of Slip And Fall Accidents
Slip and fall accidents are uncalled for but can happen anytime and anywhere. So, you cannot prepare yourself for the same. But, if you are insured and wish to claim for the same, you need to know who is responsible for your injury and accident. Such accidents can happen at grocery stores, garages, parking, apartments, and other buildings like malls and restaurants.
So, if you fall into such areas because of the following issues, you can reach out to an attorney and take the legal way forward.
- Careless spillage on the floor
- Tripping hazards
- Inappropriate vising due to inadequate lighting can cause tripping while moving
- Broken handrails
- Missing components on the way for people who need support while walking
- Unevenness in steps, or if they are broken or missing
- Potholes on the way that are being ignored
- Broken pavement
The injuries that can occur because of these incidents vary from slight bruises to serious injuries that can lead you to stay in hospitals, too. In the worst cases, people may not return to their normal selves either.
If you look at the statistics, you will see that more than 800,000 hospitalizations were recorded as per the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) information, and all of these were because of fall injuries.
Legal Remedies
When you plan to seek legal remedies in case of any injury due to such an accident, you have to prove that negligence is caused at someone’s end and that you have fallen prey to it. So, here are some remedies for you.
Secure Yourself
When you are injured, you should get immediate medical attention. If there are any bruises, you can secure them with the first aid kit. However, you should visit the doctor if there is a major issue like you have developed swelling or are doubtful about a bone or any other internal injury.
When you feel fine, you should begin with the legal way. The first step is to secure the medical reports and bills that will work as the base for your case.
Collecting Evidence
Apart from the medical bills, you should collect other evidence like any CCTV footage, any on-point witness, or any other spectator, and contact people if they have suffered from something similar.
Also, you can ask someone initially to take pictures of the accident scene, which can work as evidence. Also, you can contact professionals who can help you with information about similar incidents related to the area where you have hurt yourself, too.
Contacting Your Attorney
When you have done everything on your behalf, you can let your attorney intervene so that they can take your claim request forward. The attorneys are experienced in such cases and will do their best to secure their rights.
The attorneys can further work on the evidence and presentation so that the best compensation can be provided to you.
Filing The Suit
When everything is done, you can discuss it with the attorney so that they can file the suit for compensation and other damages. You should stay true to the ground to do everything correctly for your justice.
Compensation – Amount And Kinds
Slip and fall accidents are more likely to occur when people are not vigilant. Even if you are careful as a visitor, you can fall prey to another person’s negligence. If you are anyone close to you has suffered injuries, economic and non-economic damages are available. But you should know that all damages do not apply to all accidents of this category.
If you want an idea about the compensation, you and your attorney should work on the specifications and see what can be done specifically for your case.
The circumstances of the accident, followed by the kind of injuries that you or someone close has suffered, are the major considerations for assigning compensation.
Economic compensation includes the following things:
- Medical expenses that will likely occur because of the fall and slip accident.
- Rehabilitation therapies that are related to the incident
- Lost wages due to the medical issue that has occurred because of the accident and future loss of wages because of the same
- Expenditure like the need for a wheelchair or walker
- Transportation
- The expenditure related to homecare
- Any over-the-top costs
However, in many cases, the economic compensation is not enough, and in those cases, compensation of the following kinds can also be provided:
- Physical pain or constant anguishment
- Emotional and mental suffering
- Permanent disability
- Loss of the quality of one’s life
All these factors work as the base through which you can fight for your compensation. Also, the plaintiff is bound to receive punitive damages due to the degree of damage caused to her emotional and mental well-being because of the accident. The punitive damages can be provided at the court’s discretion. These damages work as punishment for the liability that can deter them from committing future acts that give rise to such gross negligent issues.
Conclusion
Legal help is the best way to make people accountable for their negligence because you have been hurt. The attorneys in this field are experts as they have handled many cases and provided people with the best compensation based on their situation. You should stay true in the proceedings, and that’s how you can ensure you get compensation for all the wrong you have suffered.