A slip and fall accident could take place anywhere. By law, buildings, homes, parking lots, and walkways must be maintained to ensure that those who use them are able to do so safely. This is a responsibility known as premises liability.
If you have been injured in a slip and fall accident you may be entitled to file a personal injury claim from the person who owned the place where the accident took place. You would need to prove the place was not maintained to a safe standard or the person responsible knowingly maintained the place in a dangerous condition.
What Should You Do?
If you are seriously injured in a slip and fall accident and especially if you have a head injury call 911 to report the accident and get an ambulance and emergency medical assistance as soon as possible. When you are able to you should do the following:
- report the accident to the person responsible for the place where the injury took place, preferably the manager;
- collect the names, addresses, phone numbers and email addresses of all potential witnesses;
- take pictures of the EXACT location where you fell and make sure to photograph any stairs, spilled liquid, ripped carpet or other condition that contributed to your accident;
- keep all receipts for payments you have made for an ambulance, medical treatment and doctor’s fees in a safe place.
If you intend to take legal action against the person or entity responsible for maintaining the place where the slip and fall accident took place, it is important to connect with a licensed personal injury lawyer as soon as possible. Many slip, trip, and fall cases are complex and difficult to prove and need the expertise of a personal injury lawyer.
As soon as you have gathered the evidence proving fault for your slip and fall accident, contact a slip and fall lawyer who will work on your behalf to get the compensation you deserve. The lawyer will need as much as evidence as possible to support your claim including a calculation for lost wages because you are unable to work.
How to Calculate Lost Wages
As you are entitled to lost wages while you are recovering from your slip and fall injury
you should calculate the amount so that you can submit the information with your claim. If you are paid by the hour take the amount of your hourly wage and multiply it by the number of hours you missed due to the accident.
For example, if your wage is $30 per hour and you have missed 40 hours of work you can claim $30 x 40 in personal injury claim lost wages. The amount is $1,200.
If you are paid an annual salary, take your yearly salary and divide it by 2080 (number of weekday work hours in a year), then multiply by the number of hours you missed due to your injuries. If you have lost 40 hours of work and your salary is $60,000 per year the amount you are owed is 60,000 /2080 = $28.84 x 40 = $1,153.64
If you work overtime regularly you should get these extra payments included in your personal injury claim for lost wages.
Get Help With Your Slip and Fall Claim
If you or someone you care about has been injured in a slip, trip, and fall accident, it's important to remember that the steps you take immediately following the incident are important to building the best-possible legal case. An attorney may be able to help you file a claim. To get connected with an independent, participating attorney who subscribes to the page, complete the Free Evaluation Form Today!
