Did you know falling injuries are one of, if not the most, common types of injuries for Canadians? Some are bona fide accidents, but a very large percentage of slip and falls are caused due to some sort of failure on another party’s behalf. This could be somebody’s failure to clear debris, salt icy stairs, maintain an even walkway, clear spilt water timely or warn people of dangers using appropriate signage. If you have suffered from a slip and fall accident, it is advisable that you speak to our experienced team of Toronto personal injury lawyers immediately. Preserving the scene and identifying the cause of the fall can make all the difference to the success of your claim. In an earlier blog, we discussed this topic more in-depth.
Today, we will be discussing what a slip and fall accident victim can recover in compensation and how. Make no mistake, injuries and losses are far-reaching even in minor accidents and the “We’ll pay your doctor’s bills” is not adequate compensation.
What damages can you claim for your slip and fall accident?
Compensation is related to the amount of loss suffered, and with that being said, you should be able to claim any and all losses that you feel you have suffered. Of course, these have to arise out of your accident. So some obvious things that you can file a claim for are:
- Hospital bills
- Medical expenses (doctor’s fee, diagnostic tests, prescription)
- Cost of medication
- Ongoing physical therapy
However, those are not the only costs that you may have to bear, depending on the severity of your accident. A slip and fall accident victim – and maybe even their family – depending on the severity of the incident, may have to pay for many other things that they would not have had to pay for had the accident not occurred such as:
- Physical pain, scarring and emotional trauma
- Nursing/attendant care (sometimes round-the-clock)
- Compensation for time and effort of family members taking care of the injured loved one
- Transport charges to and fro the hospital and physiotherapy centre
- Long term treatment costs
- Loss of income (existing and future prospects)
- Compensation for short term and long term loss in productivity
- Cost of making the home or dwelling accessible or wheelchair-friendly
- Loss of enjoyment of life and breakdown of personal relationships
Discussing your accident with an experienced Toronto injury lawyer is essential to understand how you should proceed with your claim. Our experienced team of lawyers will also help you fill out a strong insurance claim.
How accident victims can lose a legitimate slip and fall claim
The number one reason why people forfeit the compensation they deserve, in whole or in part, is because they don’t take the time to reach out to an experienced Toronto personal injury attorney immediately. To read more about common mistakes that can compromise your slip and fall claim, read one of our previous blogs posts here. . Some common mistakes that you should avoid are:
- Signing an agreement that limits your right to sue or absolves the wrongdoer of blame
- Failure to collect/preserve evidence
- Defendant’s admission of guilt was not recorded
- Not suing the right parties to the claim
- Taking too long to sue (limitation period)
Protect the compensation that you are so rightfully owed for your injuries. Talk to an experienced slip and fall lawyer at Equity Law Firm LLP Firm. We know the upheaval an unexpected injury can cause and will work with you to meet and exceed your needs.