The average slip and fall settlement amounts in Connecticut differ widely between cases. Every slip and fall is unique, creating different challenges and costs for each victim. Our Connecticut slip and fall attorneys can help you navigate the nuances of your accident, making sure to seek the full extent of your losses. Learn more about the common factors that influence slip and fall settlements and how you can maximize your potential payout.
Recoverable Damages Determine Your Settlement Amount After a Slip and Fall
When you slip, trip, or fall on someone else’s property in Connecticut, you have a right to recover compensation from the property owner, landlord, or other liable party. Compensatory damages are the economic and non-economic losses you sustain due to the slip and fall accident. They may include:
- Medical bills and long-term healthcare costs related to your slip and fall
- Current and future income loss due to the slip and fall incident
- Out-of-pocket expenses related to your injuries
- Pain and suffering, emotional distress, and diminished quality of life
The types of damages you can recover differ depending on the injuries you sustained. Speak with a Connecticut personal injury lawyer for more information about damages specific to your claim.
Injury Severity and Location Influences Your Slip and Fall Settlement
Injuries from a slip and fall can range from bruises, cuts, and strained muscles to broken bones, spinal cord damage, and traumatic brain injury. In fact, unintentional falls are a leading cause of traumatic brain injury in Connecticut.
The severity of your injuries can significantly affect the value of your settlement or award for a slip and fall accident. Whiplash, strained muscles, and other soft-tissue damage often requires treatment and rehabilitation. This treatment can be expensive and time consuming, and you can recover compensation for these damages.
For more severe injuries like head trauma and spinal damage, you may also require long-term nursing care, assistive equipment, disability accommodations, and even life care services. Victims with disabling injuries often receive higher settlements due to the greater costs for recovery and life care.
Connecticut’s liability laws are complicated and can limit your settlement amount for a slip and fall injury. The court typically awards damages based on comparative responsibility, which calculates damages based on shared responsibility of the parties. A premises liability attorney familiar with Connecticut laws can help you navigate the process to secure the best possible outcome.
The Responsible Party’s Identity Can Affect Your Settlement
Slips, trips, and falls can occur on residential or commercial properties, in public parks and walkways, or even on construction sites. By understanding the location and circumstances surrounding your fall, your attorney can determine whose negligence caused your injury. People or parties responsible for the property must make sure to address or fix hazards, including:
- Wet or slippery walkways
- Damaged, broken, or uneven flooring
- Stairs and elevated platforms without railings
- Frayed or folded carpeting
- Objects in an aisle or walkway
If your injuries were caused by a retail store, property owner, municipality, or other entity, you can typically seek compensation through an insurance claim. However, it can be more difficult to recover damages from an individual who has no insurance or other resources.
Insurance Policies Can Limit Your Slip and Fall Settlement Amount
Usually, slip and fall injury victims recover compensation through the at-fault party’s liability insurance. This may include property liability, homeowner’s insurance, or business liability coverage, depending on who is responsible for your slip and fall accident.
Insurance policies usually have limitations on claim settlements. Even if your claim falls below the maximum, insurers often fight against high settlements. An attorney can help you understand the policy terms and limitations that could apply to your slip and fall settlement, so you get the most for your injuries.
Timing is Crucial for Securing a Fair Connecticut Slip and Fall Settlement
Prompt medical and legal attention can help you secure a better settlement value. Connecticut typically gives victims two years from the date of the injury to file a lawsuit for compensation. If you miss the filing deadline, you could miss your chance of recovering compensation. In addition, insurance companies will often deny a claim if you do not seek medical assistance or file an insurance claim soon after the slip and fall incident.
Avoid leaving money on the table by contacting a personal injury attorney as soon as possible. Your lawyer can help you gather evidence, build a case, negotiate with insurers, and file a lawsuit on time.
Hiring a Lawyer Can Maximize Your Slip and Fall Settlement Amount in Connecticut
Difficult insurance adjusters may deny or reduce claims, even when they are valid. An insurance company may offer an initial lowball settlement, in the hope that you will take the lower amount and not seek further damages. Unfortunately, such settlements rarely cover the full scope of the injured person’s losses. If you accept a settlement that is too low, you can’t file a claim for any more money when that runs out.
A slip and fall attorney knows how to navigate the claim process to achieve the best possible settlement value. It is their job to negotiate with insurance companies and fight for your best interests.
Taking Your Case to Trial Could Improve Your Chances for a Higher Slip and Fall Settlement
A personal injury attorney can pursue your case in court if they think it will help you get a better settlement. Lawsuits are expensive and time consuming for insurers, especially if they know they won’t win. Many insurers will offer better settlement terms when they know an attorney is involved, because it isn’t worth the cost of fighting the claim at trial.
If your case does go to trial, you benefit from working with a Connecticut slip and fall lawyer with experience handling cases from beginning to end. The attorneys at Trantolo & Trantolo, LLC have experience taking cases to court, and we are not afraid to go up against insurers. We want to get you the results you need to recover and secure your future, and we will never settle for less than you deserve. Contact us today for a free consultation.
