Average Slip-and-Fall Settlements Without Surgery in Florida
MattLaw Car Accident and Personal Injury Lawyers has fought for injury victims for over 35 years. Our slip-and-fall accident attorneys could help you identify, calculate, and seek all of the damages owed to you. Keep reading to learn more about slip-and-fall settlements without surgery in Florida.
Slip-and-fall injuries can be severe – even when surgery is not needed
Just because you do not need surgery for a slip-and-fall injury does not mean it is not serious or that it will not result in major medical expenses.
Slip-and-falls can cause broken wrists and ankles, severe back sprains and strains, traumatic brain injuries, and more. These injuries may not require surgery, but to diagnose and treat them, you may need X-rays, MRIs, medications, casts, and physical therapy – all of which can quickly add up. Some of these injuries, including head injuries, can also lead to lifelong complications and pain and suffering.
If you slipped and fell due to negligent property conditions, you should consider seeking a settlement for your losses, whether or not your treatment includes surgery.
How much can you get for a slip-and-fall claim?
There is no “average” settlement for a slip-and-fall – with or without surgery. This is because every slip-and-fall case is unique. In general, personal injury victims can seek compensation for current and future medical expenses, lost wages, lost earning capacity, and pain and suffering.
How much money you can recover will depend on factors that are specific to you and your accident, including:
The severity of your injury
The severity of your injury is perhaps the single biggest factor in your case because it will influence all areas of compensation – from your medical bills to lost wages to damages for pain and suffering.
If you have an injury, do not assume that because you do not need surgery, it will not seriously affect you. For example, you might not need surgery for a sprained wrist, but depending on what you do for work, you could lose out on several weeks of wages while you heal. Likewise, a single trip to the ER to confirm your wrist is not broken could cost you several hundred dollars, or thousands if you do not have health insurance.
The cost of your medical treatment and other out-of-pocket expenses
Damages that have a set dollar amount that you can add up fall under the category of economic damages. They include your current and ongoing medical expenses and your current and future lost wages. The actual cost of these expenses will help determine part of your settlement.
Of course, if you need surgery, it will add to your medical costs, but that does not mean you will not have medical bills and lost wages you could recover if you do not need an operation. The cost of medical care, especially for emergency treatment, can be high.
How your injury affects you physically, mentally, and emotionally
You can seek damages for your pain and suffering and the ways your injury affects your overall quality of life. These losses are referred to as non-economic damages. Because you cannot assign a dollar amount to them, they are based largely on the physical and mental side effects of your injury and how they interfere with your day-to-day life.
You could recover non-economic damages for chronic pain, post-traumatic stress, depression, anxiety, and insomnia. All of these could be byproducts of a slip-and-fall injury without surgery, such as a herniated disc in your back.
The strength of your case
To win compensation, you have to prove that someone else, usually a property owner, is liable for your slip-and-fall. The more evidence you have of fault, the more likely the liable party is to settle your claim for a fair amount.
Who pays for slip-and-fall accidents?
Slip-and-fall accidents are a type of premises liability case. They seek to hold property owners and managers liable when a hazard on their property injures someone. In many cases, owners have liability insurance that may cover these claims, but you will have to prove that the property owner was negligent.
Proving negligence means showing that:
- A hazard existed on the property
- The property owner/manager knew or should have known about the hazard
- The owner/manager did not fix the hazard, did not fix it in a reasonable amount of time, or did not warn people about it
Common examples of hazards that could cause a slip-and-fall include broken and cracked flooring, torn carpeting, dangerous stairways, or uneven walkways. Leaky pipes and pooling water can also create a danger.
Steps to take after a slip-and-fall
If you have a slip-and-fall injury, you should see a doctor if you haven’t already. Without medical care, fall injuries like hairline fractures or torn ligaments could go undiagnosed, get worse, or heal improperly. And you cannot really know whether or not you need surgery or any other interventions if you do not get examined.
Report your accident to the property owner, ideally right after it happens. You might also need to file a police report. Then, you should file a liability claim with the owner’s insurer as soon as possible. Notice requirements can vary, so it is best to report the accident and pursue any applicable liability claim promptly.
Additionally, if you have to go to court, you will have to file your lawsuit before the statute of limitations expires. In Florida, you generally have two years for most slip-and-fall negligence actions.
Should you call a lawyer?
Even without surgery, your slip-and-fall injury could result in huge medical bills, lost income, and pain and suffering. To help you seek fair compensation for all of your losses, it can really help to work with a legal professional. Our lawyers could help you build your case, evaluate your damages, and negotiate on your behalf to seek the best possible settlement.
Contact MattLaw Car Accident and Personal Injury Lawyers for help with your slip-and-fall injury
If you slipped and fell because a property owner did not take care of their premises, you may be entitled to compensation for your injuries. A slip-and-fall settlement without surgery may still include other medical expenses, lost wages, and additional damages, which can be crucial to helping you get your life back on track after an accident.
MattLaw Car Accident and Personal Injury Lawyers could help you fight for compensation. To learn more about slip-and-fall settlements and how our attorneys could assist with your claim, contact us today for a free consultation.
About Author
Matt Powell is a Board Certified Civil Trial Lawyer by the Florida Bar who represents injured victims and their families. He is an experienced personal injury trial attorney who has been practicing since 1989 in Tampa, Florida. Simply call our offices or fill out our contact form to schedule a free consultation today.