How Much Will I Get for a Slip-and-Fall in Delray Beach?

After a slip and fall in Delray Beach, you may be eager to determine the “value” of a potential personal injury lawsuit. This is a perfectly valid concern, as you may face mounting medical bills, lost wages, and other losses in the aftermath of your accident. In order to accurately determine how much your case is worth, you may need to discuss the details with a lawyer. That said, there are a few universal rules to consider:

Your Compensation Depends on Your “Damages” 

“Damages” represent an important concept in the world of personal injury law. Your damages are the losses you experience as a direct result of your accident. You might assume that these damages are financial in nature, but this is only part of the overall equation. You can also recover compensation for emotional/psychological losses for these types of incidents. Sometimes, these “non-economic damages” are quite significant.

For example, you might fall down a flight of stairs and suffer a fractured skull. Perhaps you are facing serious cognitive decline, and you can no longer carry out your normal duties at the office. In these kinds of situations, you might be able to recover significant compensation for lost future income. You might also recover significant compensation for the medical bills you incur as a result of your fractured skull and traumatic brain injury (TBI). These are both examples of “economic damages.”

In addition, your brain injury may have caused you to develop post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). You might have also developed depression, heightened aggression, social withdrawal, and other psychological issues. Perhaps your cognitive decline is so severe that you no longer understand the rules of your favorite sport. This loss of your favorite pastimes may represent “loss of enjoyment of life.” These are all potential examples of non-economic damages.

Put your economic and non-economic damages together, and you have a general idea of how much your claim might be worth. Of course, non-economic damages have no clear dollar value. As a result, you might need help from an attorney when estimating the value of your non-economic damages.

Compensation From a Financial Settlement vs. Compensation From a Trial 

Your compensation may also depend on whether you receive a financial settlement or a “verdict” during a personal injury trial. The former is generally more predictable, and it usually involves an insurance “payout” that your attorneys will help you negotiate.

In contrast, a “verdict” is something that a jury of your peers will determine during a trial. These individuals are inherently less predictable than insurance adjusters. They might feel that you deserve much more than expected, or they may feel that you deserve much less.

Can a Slip-and-Fall Lawyer in Delray Beach Help Me?

A slip-and-fall lawyer in Delray Beach may be able to help if you’re searching for a clear answer about the value of your case. With help from an attorney, you may be able to calculate the approximate value of your economic and non-economic damages. That said, compensation can be somewhat unpredictable – especially if you face a trial. Contact Steinberg Law for more information.

Source: 

leg.state.fl.us/Statutes/index.cfm?App_mode=Display_Statute&URL=0700-0799/0766/Sections/0766.202.html