Although media reports and television shows may suggest otherwise, the purpose of a slip and fall lawsuit is not to seek a large financial windfall after a minor or embarrassing incident. The goal is to address specific financial, physical, and personal losses, collectively referred to as compensatory damages, that you have experienced because of another party’s negligent property management.
Assessing damages in Houston slip and fall claims can involve a mixture of quantitative documentary evidence, qualitative personal testimony, and things like video footage and medical expert opinions, which can be both objective and subjective to varying degrees. Fortunately, you have help available from our experienced slip and fall attorneys with sorting all this out and building the strongest possible claim over your unique accident.
Determining the Value of Economic Losses
Assessing the nature and value of economic damages in a Houston slip and fall case is generally more straightforward than evaluating non-economic damages. Economic damages refer to losses with clear monetary values, which may be demonstrated through bills, receipts, pay stubs, and tax returns.
However, complexities may arise when estimating the value of future medical expenses, lost income, and other ongoing costs resulting from a long-term injury. Guidance from legal counsel could be important not only for identifying which future damages to pursue, but also for evaluating how much compensation may be necessary to address those losses months, years, or even decades before they occur.
How Do Attorneys and Courts Assign Values to Non-Economic Losses
Assessing non-economic damages in Houston slip and fall claims is more complex because these losses are subjective and lack documentation that shows a specific monetary value. As a result, pursuing fair compensation for physical pain, psychological distress, and loss of enjoyment of life often involves relating those non-economic losses to the value of your economic losses in a structured way.
For example, one method for estimating a decline in overall quality of life involves equating one day of physical and psychological suffering to the wages that would have been earned in a typical workday before the injury. Another approach is to calculate non-economic damages by multiplying the total value of economic damages by a predetermined factor. An attorney could explain which method may be appropriate for your situation during a confidential consultation..
Learn More from a Houston Attorney About Assessing Damages in Slip and Fall Claims
No two personal injury claims are exactly alike, so the right approach to assessing damages in your Houston slip and fall claims may be very different from what would work best for someone else injured under different circumstances. No matter what, though, you will almost certainly have an easier time effectively recovering for the harm a landowner’s negligence has caused you if you have help from trustworthy legal counsel along the way.
Our team has extensive experience helping people like you through situations much like yours, and we can provide the tireless and tenacious representation you may need to achieve the best possible case result. Learn more by contacting us today.
Below are just some of the more common types of cases that Benjamin Roberts represents personal injury clients.
For a full list of the cases we handle, please see the Practice Areas link at the top of the page.