If you’ve been injured in a slip-and-fall accident, you’ll have expenses that need to be paid. Some of these are obvious, like medical bills, but there are others that may surprise you. The money given to a plaintiff by the defendant to pay for these expenses is referred to as “compensatory damages.” Below we’ll discuss the compensatory damages you can get.
Common Compensatory Damages
The first step to calculating potential compensatory damages is determining the documented cost of the slip and fall. This includes medical bills, as well as any income you lost because the accident prevented you from working. If you lost anything of value during the slip and fall – such as if you broke an expensive watch – you can also add property damage to your total compensatory damages.
If there aren’t easily documentable damages, you’ll have a harder time getting properly compensated. You still want to document the injury in case your injuries become more serious, but minimal medical bills and income loss may reduce the amount of compensatory damage you can get.
Do Compensatory Damages Include Emotional Distress?
Once you’ve calculated the economic costs for your slip and fall, you can also factor in the pain, suffering, and emotional distress caused by it. Pain and suffering includes the potential discomfort caused by things like scars or impairment in the future. Emotional distress covers psychological problems caused by the accident, like insomnia or anxiety.
What Are Non-Compensatory Damages?
Non-compensatory damages are also referred to as punitive damages. Essentially, if the defendant has been found to be at-fault for the accident, it will then need to be decided whether or not the property owner willfully disregarded your safety, causing an environment that led to the slip and fall.
The court may choose to give you compensatory damages without giving you non-compensatory damages.
Need a Slip and Fall Lawyer in Los Angeles?
EFS Law Center is here for you. For years, we’ve been helping plaintiffs just like you get the compensation you deserve. If you’ve been injured in a slip-and-fall, call us now at 1-833-338-4878.
