Our Family of Lawyers Has Been Helping Injured People For Three Generations If you are injured after tripping and falling on someone else’s property, you are likely to be suffering from severe trauma and facing a mountain of medical bills. When seeking compensation for these losses, it is important to understand Westchester slip and fall damages, as well as what may be included in a claim.
However, calculating your losses alone is often difficult, especially as you recover from an injury. By working with a skilled and compassionate lawyer, you could have help in assessing the scope of your damages in order to request full and fair compensation.
What Types of Damages May be Included in a Slip and Fall Case?
Generally, people are entitled to two types of damages in a slip and fall case: economic and non-economic. Economic damages are meant to cover accident-associated costs such as medical bills, lost wages from work, future medical expenses, and a reduction in future earning capacity. These damages can become especially important if someone sustains a catastrophic injury.
This is because, the more significant the injury, the greater the resulting damages are. When catastrophic damage happens, it generally means that a person loses the use or function of some part of their body. When this happens, it often affects their ability to earn money for the rest of their life. Naturally, this also means that a person will incur significant medical bills for the remainder of their life, which often causes them to suffer major economic damages.
Non-economic damages, on the other hand, are focused on the claimant’s pain and suffering. These damages focus on the more intangible effects of an injury caused by the negligence of a premises owner. Luckily, there are no caps on damages in Westchester for trip and fall injury cases.
What are Punitive Damages?
The purpose of punitive damages is to punish the responsible party. Punitive damages are a public policy whereby the courts punish the defendant by awarding a penalty of money that is generally three times the actual damages, or greater, to hurt the defendant financially, as well as to send a message.
However, it is very rare for punitive damages to be awarded in a slip and fall. Usually, these are only recovered when the defendant intentionally or willfully created a dangerous condition that led to a severe injury.
How an Attorney Can Help in Assessing Trip And Fall Damages
If someone is injured in a slip and fall accident, the best way to ensure that they receive full, fair, and just compensation for their injuries is to hire a Westchester lawyer at Tomkiel & Tomkiel. A well-versed attorney can work tirelessly to explain your rights and protect your claim.
For example, when assessing damages, a legal professional will look at how badly you are injured, whether you had pre-existing conditions, and how these might affect a case. Then, an attorney can determine what damages may be requested in a trip and fall claim. To discuss your circumstances, call today.
