How Do I Prove Damages for a Slip and Fall Accident?

Establishing liability and proving the damages sustained by a slip and fall accident are often the most complex parts of a premises liability case.

While the overall damages will depend on the specifics of your accident as well as the severity of your injuries and how that impacts your life in the long term, even the most seemingly minor fall can result in catastrophic losses.

In a 2018 study by the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society, medical costs for falls totaled more than $50 billion for both fatal and non-fatal falls in older adults.

Though this number is staggering and can vary from case to case, knowing the documentation and evidence needed to prove the damages for a slip and fall case is critical to your settlement or verdicts success.

Regan Zambri Long explains what you need to prove damages in a slip and fall accident.

What Evidence Do I Need to Establish a Slip and Fall Claim?

Before you can tally up your losses for a slip and fall accident, you need to determine liability. To do so, you need to consider all of the evidence including what condition caused your fall, did the property owner know of the danger and yet not remedy it, etc.

From there, you can begin to gather your medical exams, medical bills, etc.

What Economic and Non Economic Damages Can I Collect from a Slip and Fall?

Following a slip and fall accident, you may be able to collect both economic and non-economic damages. Economic damages are those with losses that are tied to a dollar amount while non-economic damages are those that are more subjective in value.

Economic damages you may be able to recover compensation for include:

• Medical expenses (current and future)
• Lost wages (current and future)
• Medical equipment and long-term therapies and rehabilitation
• Prescription costs
• Transport costs
• At-home healthcare

To prove these expenses, you will need to have medical documentation, bill summaries, receipts, etc.

If you have suffered extensive injuries, non-economic damages you may be able to recover include:

• Pain and suffering
• Emotional anguish
• Diminished quality of life
• Disability
• Loss of limb(s) or a sense
• Disfigurement

To prove the economic damages you will need to gather the following information to substantiate your claim:

• Journal of details of the incident as well as how you are feeling both physically and emotionally
• Psychological evaluation
• Testimony from others about how your life has been affected since the accident
• Photos of disfigurement and changes to your quality of life

However, these damages are often very difficult to prove which is why a premises liability lawyer may be necessary to recover the losses you deserve.

In extreme cases of negligence, you may be able to recover punitive damages from the at-fault party.

How Does Liability Impact The Damages I Can Recover?

In order to recover any compensation for your losses, you need to be able to prove liability and establish negligence.

This includes:

• Did the property owner cause a dangerous condition? This can include waxing a floor, spilling liquid, not installing lights, etc.
• Did the property owner fail to fix the dangerous condition? In cases where the property owner knows of the dangerous condition yet does nothing to remedy it, thus resulting in your injury, you may be able to prove negligence.

In both of these situations, it is important to know that you need evidence. This may be that you told your landlord that the steps were faulty, that a store owner knew it had been snowing yet didn’t clear the sidewalk, etc.

In addition to establishing liability, you will also need to produce medical documentation, accident reports, witness testimony and forms of evidence from the time of the incident.

Let Regan Zambri Long Seek Compensation For Your Slip and Fall

If you sustained injuries due to a dangerous condition on someone else’s property, the premise liability lawyers of Regan Zambri Long PLLC can help you seek the compensation you deserve. Whether you are seeking economic recovery for medical bills and lost wages, or want to secure compensation for your pain and suffering, our team is equipped to handle your case.

If you have a slip and fall case and need the help of the experienced premises liability lawyers at Regan Zambri Long PLLC, don’t wait any longer. Call (202) 960-4596 or contact us online today to schedule a free consultation.