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What Type of Compensation Might You Seek in a Premises Liability Case?
If you have been injured or have sustained damages in a premises liability case, you might wonder if compensation is limited to coverage of your medical bills. It is not. As with car accidents and other types of personal injury, premises liability cases involve numerous types of damage.
Find out a bit about the various types of compensation you might seek in a premises liability case below. Discover how an experienced personal injury law firm can help.
What Is a Premises Liability Case?
If you are hurt or otherwise sustain damages while you are on someone else’s property, you may have a premises liability case against that property owner or others who are in charge of the property. Typically, successful premises liability cases meet the following requirements:
- The owner or manager of the property did not exercise a suitable level of care in ensuring the environment was safe
- The negligence of this person or business directly contributed to the accident or situation that caused the injury or damage
Other factors, including whether or not the injured party may have contributed to his or her own injury, are also considered.
Some Types of Premises Liability Cases
Some common examples of premises liability cases include situations when injuries are related to:
- Slips and falls related to unsafe conditions, such as wet or uneven flooring
- The collapse of walls, stairs, or other structural elements in a building
- Falling objects, such as materials or tools falling on a construction site
- Security failures, such as inappropriate levels of security or inattentive security personnel
This is not a comprehensive list. Many other situations and injuries might be the basis of a premises liability case. If you’re not sure whether you have a viable case or not, reach out to a personal injury attorney to find out more.
Types of Damages in Such Cases
If you do have a case for compensation, an experienced personal injury lawyer can help you understand what your next steps should be. As the plaintiff, which is the person filing the lawsuit for damages, you have the burden of proof. That means you and your legal team must prove that you sustained injuries, that you have experienced specific economic loss due to those injuries, and that the actions or lack of actions of the property owner contributed to the incident that caused your injuries.
If you can successfully do all of that, you may be able to make a case for and win compensation. Some types of damages you can win compensation for in a premises liability case are summarized below.
Short- and Long-Term Medical Bills
When your injuries are deemed the fault of someone else, that person might be required to cover the cost of your medical bills. Typically, property owners have business insurance that will actually cover many of these costs. Damages might include immediate medical bills, such as those related to emergency care or surgery. They can also include long-term bills for physical rehab, assistive devices, and long-term care if these things are deemed medically necessary due to your injuries.
Property Damage
In some cases, you might be able to seek compensation for property that was damaged in the incident. For example, if someone falls down the stairs while carrying a laptop bag, they may damage or destroy their computer. In this case, if someone else is found liable for the accident, they may also be deemed liable for the property damage to the laptop.
Loss of Wages or Income
If you are seriously injured in an accident on someone else’s property, you may find that you are out of work for some amount of time. You might lose income during this time. If the loss of income is directly related to injuries you suffered in the accident, the liable party may be on the hook for those expenses too.
In some cases, a person is injured so badly that it is doubtful that they will ever return to work—or return to work anytime in the near future. In this case, the person may be able to make a case for future lost wages.
Pain and Suffering and Emotional Anguish
In some cases, you may be able to get compensation for losses that are not tangible—which means they don’t come backed up by receipts. The idea here is that if your life has been derailed substantially by the accident or you are in great emotional or physical pain, you have experienced losses beyond the specific bills for your care or wages you weren’t paid.
This type of damage is rarer and more difficult to win, but it is sometimes an option.
Loss of Companionship
If someone dies because of injuries they sustained on someone else’s property, their loved ones have experienced a serious loss. They have lost the future companionship and love of their family member. In this case, they may be awarded damages to reflect that loss.
Contact Our Legal Team for Help With Premises Liability Cases
Compensation is never guaranteed. You have a right to seek compensation, but not a right to it. You must prove your case as the plaintiff, and that can involve a lot of research and legal work. The team at Jarrett & Price can help you make a solid case for compensation in premises liability situations. Contact us today by calling 912-244-7479; set up an evaluation appointment so we can learn more about your case and provide recommendations for moving forward.
