If you sustained injuries in a fall on another person’s property, they could be liable for your damages. Property owners have a duty to ensure their premises are free from hazards. If they fail to do so, they could be responsible for your medical bills and other expenses related to the fall.
A slip and fall can turn an ordinary day into a life-changing accident in an instant. If you are living with the consequences of a serious fall injury, you might be able to hold the property owner accountable. Let our Bonita Springs personal injury lawyer advise you on the compensation you could recover for your injuries.
Compensation You Could Recover After a Fall
If you fall on another person’s property and injure yourself, you could recover compensation for those injuries. Your monetary award could come directly from the property owner, or you could recover it through a settlement with their insurance carrier.
Regardless of who is responsible, there are different types of damages you might be eligible for.
Medical Bills
When it comes to financial hardship after a slip and fall accident, medical expenses often top the list. Even minor injuries could result in costly medical care. If you lack health insurance, you could be paying those bills on your own.
Thankfully, you could recover these expenses from the property owner through a personal injury lawsuit. Some of the costs you might be able to recover relate to hospital stays, ambulance rides, emergency medical care, prescription drugs, and other treatments.
Pain and Suffering
Physical pain is a common part of most slip and fall injuries. This pain would not have occurred had it not been for your fall, so it is only fair that you hold the property owner responsible for your suffering.
Compensation for physical pain and suffering is subjective, but many courts award these damages based on the extent of your medical bills. The more medical expenses you have, the more pain and suffering benefits you might be able to receive.
Mental Anguish
Mental anguish refers to the emotional trauma of reliving your injury. Many people have nightmares following a traumatic accident, while others face such emotional turmoil that they cannot be near the spot where their fall occurred.
This anguish can continue long after your physical injuries have healed. You could recover compensation for your mental anguish from the careless property owner.
Lost Wages
A side effect of recovering from a severe injury can be missing time away from work. Every week that you miss due to your injury could be another week that you do not get paid for.
If you are out of action for months, your financial situation could quickly become dire. You have the right to pursue both past and future lost wages from the property owner if their negligence caused your fall.
The Deadline to File a Slip and Fall Lawsuit
There is a tight deadline that comes with filing a slip and fall accident lawsuit in Lee County, and the failure to comply with it could have harsh consequences for your case. This deadline, which is known as the statute of limitations, applies to every personal injury case.
The statute of limitations is governed by Florida Statutes § 95.11(3)(a). Under this statute, you generally have four years from the date of the fall to file your lawsuit. While that might sound like plenty of time, any delay in pursuing your case could have a harmful effect on your financial recovery.
If you wait until after the four-year window expires to file your lawsuit, you can expect the property owner to move to dismiss the case right away. In most situations, the court will agree to dismiss your case with prejudice. This means you will never have the chance to bring the lawsuit again.
Affording a Slip and Fall Accident Lawyer from Our Firm
Unsure if you can afford a lawyer to take on your slip and fall accident claim? Attorneys have developed a reputation for being expensive. However, our firm believes everyone deserves a chance to pursue their case no matter their financial circumstances. That is why we will never charge upfront legal fees to our clients.
Our firm operates under a contingency-fee arrangement. What that means for you is that we will only get paid when you do. We keep a percentage of the compensation we recover on your behalf as our fee. This means you will never pay attorney fees out of pocket.
This relationship is a win-win for you. If we are successful, you will get the compensation you need without ever having to pay our legal fees directly out of pocket. If we are unsuccessful, you will never owe us any attorney fees at all. We are happy to answer questions about our contingency-fee arrangement during your initial consultation.
Dangerous Conditions That Can Lead to Slip and Fall Accidents
Slips, trips, and falls can happen anywhere. The hazards that can cause these falls also vary tremendously. Some falls occur because a person’s feet become entangled with a cord or wire. Other falls happen due to a structural defect in a sidewalk or staircase.
Other accidents happen due to poor lighting. Some of the most common examples of slip and fall hazards include:
- Unmarked wet floors
- Spilled food
- Trash or debris
- Loose handrails
- Dim lighting
- Uneven sidewalks
- Potholes
- Loose rugs or carpet
You Could be Entitled to a Monetary Award After a Bonita Springs Slip and Fall
While not all slip and fall accidents result in serious injury, many falls lead to lasting consequences. If you are dealing with the physical, financial, or emotional consequences from a slip and fall accident, you might be able to hold the property owner or occupier accountable.
The Law Offices of Anidjar & Levine is prepared to help you pursue your case against the party responsible for your fall. Our glowing client testimonials show our commitment to our clients and achieving fair compensation and justice for them. If you have questions about how our Bonita Springs slip and fall accident lawyer could help, call us at 1-800-747-3733 for a free consultation right away.
We Can Help.
