An Atlanta slip and fall accident could happen at any time. If you or someone you care about slips and falls due to someone else’s negligent action, you might be able to recover compensation. However, one of the several reasons most people don’t file a slip and fall claim is because determining damages can be confusing. Some phrases that get thrown around a lot when discussing compensation are economic and non-economic damages.
The Calvin Smith Law slip and fall lawyers will explain economic damages related to an Atlanta slip and fall case in this article. The costs for injury treatment can be high. Therefore, slip and fall victims must understand their entitlement in such cases.
Economic Damages for an Atlanta Slip and Fall Claim
Economic damages are also called special damages. These damages are the calculable expenses a slip and fall victim experiences after the fall accident. By calculable, you can measure the costs through some factors. You can typically calculate them by gathering the bills, receipts, pay stubs, and several other verifiable data pointing to the costs incurred due to the slip and fall accident.
Some common economic damages that you’re entitled to as a slip and fall victim in Atlanta include the following:
- Medical bills and emergency room visits coverage
- Hospital admittance costs
- Cost of assistive devices
- Prescription medication
- Follow-up doctor visits
- Therapy and rehabilitation costs
- Lost wages when the injury hampers the victim’s ability to work
- Out of pocket expenses arising because of the slip and fall accident
To collect economic damages, you have to present proof of all the financial losses you incurred because of your injury. The total amount of monetary damages varies according to the circumstances and facts surrounding a slip and fall accident. Some of the factors that could affect the total amount of economic damages include:
- The severity of the injury
- The length of the recovery time for the slip and fall victim
- If there was shared fault between the victim and the responsible party
What Are Non-Economic Damages in an Atlanta Slip and Fall Case?
Non-economic damages are also called general damages. They’re usually not as easy to calculate as the economic damages we explored above. Non-economic damages typically refer to losses with no fixed dollar amount because they don’t come with receipts or bills that you can easily add up. Non-economic damages usually include pain and suffering.
These losses could also occur after you sustain a slip and fall injury. They include:
- Emotional distress
- Loss of quality of life
- Disfigurement and scarring damages
- Loss of consortium: loss of a spouse or family or sexual dysfunction
What Is Comparative Negligence and How Does It Affect Your Atlanta Slip and Fall Case
One thing you have to take into consideration when you’re calculating economic damages in a slip and fall case is whether you had any fault in the accident. If the injury was partly due to your poor decision-making, inattention, or illegal activity, then the court will reduce the economic damages based on your percentage of fault. This is what comparative negligence means.
The defendant could use comparative negligence to reduce compensation when you are partly negligent in an accident. It stands in situations where you don’t use reasonable care to minimize your injuries. A clear example is where you run in an area marked “no running.” If the act of running contributed to your slip and fall accident, it could affect your economic damages award.
In an Atlanta slip and fall case, the court first determines the property owner’s negligence. Afterward, they try to determine if you were also negligent in the case. If the court finds you partly negligent for your injury, the court will determine the percentage of your liability for the accident and deduct it from the damages.
Work With an Atlanta Slip and Fall Lawyer
You must receive your due compensation if you’re involved in a slip and fall case. If you suffer injuries because of a person’s negligence, then contact a skilled Atlanta slip and fall lawyer. An experienced attorney will utilize all resources and legal expertise to calculate your economic and non-economic losses.
The Calvin Smith Law Office works with trusted medical and economic experts to evaluate their clients’ compensation. This helps them correctly calculate total expected losses to get your rightful compensation. In addition, in cases where comparative negligence might be an issue, a Calvin Smith slip and fall lawyer will gather all the evidence needed to prove minimum or zero negligence on your part. Contact us for a free case review today.
