Slip-and-fall incidents can be more serious than many people expect. The average person doesn’t anticipate a same-level fall causing significant injury. They may recognize that someone who falls unexpectedly might have minor injuries that require medical attention and possibly property damage losses. A fall could tear clothing, crack the face on a watch or destroy a mobile device, for example. Occasionally, people pursuing premises liability lawsuits after slip-and-falls may have grounds to request lost wages in addition to medical expenses and property damage losses.
When are same-level falls likely to impact a person’s income in addition to generating immediate costs?
When a bone is broken
Not everyone who falls is lucky enough to walk away with a few bruises or a scrape. Particularly when people are in their fifties or beyond, they are at risk of a fracture. Broken bones generally require at least eight weeks, if not longer, to heal. Depending on a person’s profession, broken bones could prevent them from performing job functions. Even soft tissue injuries might lead to service sector or blue-collar employees requiring weeks away from their jobs.
When a head injury occurs
A slip-and-fall scenario could cause a traumatic brain injury (TBI). Someone who hits their head when they fall could start bleeding inside the skull or experience inflammation of the brain. The symptoms generated by a TBI could prevent a professional from performing job functions. In moderate to severe TBI scenarios, professionals may never be able to return to their prior careers because of their symptoms.
Properly quantifying the financial impact of a slip-and-fall incident requires a holistic view of the long-term consequences an injury might generate. Successful premises liability lawsuits can compensate injured people for the various financial challenges associated with a same-level fall.
