How Much Compensation Can You Get in a Connecticut Slip and Fall Lawsuit?
A slip and fall might seem like a relatively minor accident, but it can result in serious, life-changing injuries. Even a slight stumble on an icy or slippery surface can cause broken hips, fractured wrists, traumatic head injuries, or worse. If you have fallen on someone else’s property, you already know how serious these injuries can be. But is a personal injury lawsuit in Connecticut really worth the time and effort? How much money do you stand to receive?
Calculating Economic Damages
The purpose of a settlement or an award is to provide you with enough funds to cover your losses. The most obvious losses associated with an injury are financial in nature. These damages may include:
- Medical expenses
- Loss of future wages
- Loss of past wages
- Funeral expenses (in the event of a wrongful death lawsuit)
Add up all of your economic damages, and you’ll have a pretty good idea of how much your settlement or award will be worth.
Calculating Non-Economic Damages
To accurately calculate how much your settlement might be worth, you also have to factor in your non-economic damages. As the name suggests, these types of losses are not financial in nature, but rather emotional or psychological. Non-economic damages represent the pain and suffering you were forced to endure as a result of the crash, your injuries, and the resulting medical treatment. For example, you might have shattered your hip in a slip and fall, requiring a painful and stressful hip replacement surgery. Things can become even more traumatic if you suffer an infection or another medical complication.
Examples of non-economic damages include:
- PTSD
- Disfigurement
- Depression
- Anxiety
- Loss of enjoyment of life
- Loss of consortium
- Loss of purpose
- Emotional distress
- Pain & suffering
But how can you calculate the value of these abstract concepts? Well, you can’t. At least not in a traditional sense, because there are no losses associated with depression or PTSD that can be quantified in dollar amounts. Instead, you may be assigned a “general damages multiplier.”
This number (usually on a scale of 1-4) will be multiplied by your total economic damages to provide you with your total settlement amount. For example, if you suffered total economic damages of $100,000 and your general damage multiplier is 3, your total settlement amount would be $300,000. It is also worth mentioning that a jury may not follow this system, and their decision could be much more random in nature.
Where Can I Find a Qualified, Experienced Accident Attorney in New Haven?
If you’ve been searching for a qualified, experienced accident attorney in New Haven, look no further than McNamara & Goodman, LLP. Over the years, we have helped numerous injured plaintiffs pursue fair compensation for their damages. With a fair settlement, you can pay for medical expenses, missed wages, emotional distress, and any other losses you have been forced to endure. Your settlement might be worth more than you think — so get in touch today and book your consultation to get started with an effective action plan.
Sources
- https://www.forbes.com/advisor/legal/personal-injury/pain-and-suffering/
- https://www.law.com/ctlawtribune/2022/10/05/130000-settlement-secured-for-plaintiff-in-slip-and-fall-case/
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