Types of Compensation You May Be Entitled To
If you’ve been injured in a slip and fall, you could be looking at more than just a bruised ego. These accidents often come with mounting medical bills, lost wages, and long-term pain. You have the right to seek compensation, and knowing what you’re entitled to is a smart first step.
One of the most common forms of compensation is for medical expenses. That includes everything from your initial ER visit to ongoing rehab, prescriptions, and even medical equipment like braces or crutches.
You may also be entitled to lost income. If your injuries forced you to miss work or will keep you from working in the future, you can seek compensation for those lost wages.
Pain and suffering are another category. This refers to the emotional and physical impact your slip and fall has had on your life. If you’re dealing with chronic pain, mental health struggles, or a loss of enjoyment in daily activities, those damages are real, and they matter.
A skilled lawyer can also help determine whether loss of consortium or punitive damages apply in your case. These aren’t available in every case, but when they are, they can significantly increase the value of your claim.
Steps in Filing a Slip and Fall Lawsuit
Bringing a slip and fall lawsuit in Pennsylvania starts with knowing what to expect. The process can feel overwhelming, but you don’t have to navigate it alone.
First, gather evidence. That means documenting the scene, taking photos of the hazard that caused your fall, and collecting witness information. If you were treated by a doctor, keep those records. The more detail, the better.
Next, connect with a Philadelphia lawyer or attorney who handles personal injury cases. They’ll evaluate your claim, identify the liable party—like a property owner or business—and help file a formal complaint with the court.
Then comes the investigation and discovery phase. Both sides will exchange evidence, conduct depositions, and prepare arguments. This is when your case starts to take shape.
Many slip and fall claims settle before trial, but if a fair offer isn’t made, your attorney will take it to court. The goal is to prove that someone else’s negligence directly caused your injuries—and make sure you’re fully compensated for the harm you’ve suffered in Philadelphia or anywhere in Pennsylvania.
Our Slip & Fall Attorneys Are Here for You, Philadelphia
Accidents from falls can occur due to a number of largely avoidable reasons and can, in some cases, result in serious injuries and damages. We believe you should be fairly compensated for any medical costs you are encumbered with as a result, so we encourage all victims of a slip and fall accident to call our slip and fall attorneys. Silver & Silver serves as personal injury and medical malpractice lawyers in all areas of Delaware County, Montgomery County, and Philadelphia, PA.
Most falls occur due to poorly maintained sidewalks or walkways, uneven steps, a lack of adequate safety matting in a hazardous area, the failure to remove snow and ice in a timely manner, and the presence of liquid spills on floors, among various other reasons.
What to Do After a Slip and Fall Accident
To help your legal case, if you have been involved in a slip and fall accident in or around Delaware or Montgomery County, it is important to seek a trusted team of slip and fall attorneys immediately to help protect your legal rights.
If you are injured, go to the emergency room or see your family doctor as soon as possible. Although some wounds may not initially seem serious, they can cause long-term problems. When you see a doctor, be sure to explain how you were injured and mention everything that hurts. If your slip and fall accident caused serious trauma, you might be interested in employing a specialized catastrophic injury lawyer, such as our spinal cord injury attorneys, conveniently located at our Philadelphia, PA, office. If you sustained any head trauma as a result of your slip and fall, our brain injury attorneys serve all residents of Montgomery County, Delaware County, and Philadelphia, PA.
Identify the Cause of Your Accident
If there is a liquid on the ground, try to see where it is coming from. If there is a defect in the sidewalk, pavement, or floor, try to see how large it is. If you fall on steps, try to determine if they are unsafe because of uneven structuring or lack a proper handrail.
Accidents can often occur because a store either failed to place safety mats in places where they ought to be, or they curl up at the edges. When a safety mat does not stay on the floor securely, it can cause a tripping hazard and be more dangerous than no mat at all. Identify who is responsible for the property before contacting our slip and fall attorneys. We can be your bike accident lawyer in Philadelphia.
Usually, a homeowner or business owner is responsible for dangerous conditions on the sidewalk in front of their property. Report the accident to the store manager, business owner, or property owner as soon as possible. Generally, stores are only responsible for dangerous conditions if they were either caused by the store employees or if the store knew about the hazardous condition and failed to take care of it. If that is the case, Silver & Silver slip and fall lawyers will effectively prevail in getting you the justice you deserve.
Record as Many Details as You Can
Make sure to record the names and phone numbers of any witnesses for your slip and fall lawyers to contact. This will be very important in creating a strong case against your opponent.
If anyone involved in the accident says anything, write it down as soon as possible and identify the person who made the statement. For example, if you slip on a liquid in a store and you hear the manager say to an employee that she told him to clean up the same spill ten minutes ago, your slip and fall attorney can use that to win your case.
Try to take as many photos as possible from different angles and distances. Keep and photograph the clothes and shoes you were wearing at the time of the accident. If you fall on an icy sidewalk and there is no salt on your clothes, that may help prove that the property owner did not salt the sidewalk. Photographs of any visible injuries, like scars or bruises, will be beneficial for your slip and fall lawyers to use in court.
Finally, call a legal team with experienced slip and fall attorneys. The team at Silver & Silver consists of personal injury, slip and fall, and dog bite attorneys in the Greater Philadelphia area. With over 40 years of experience winning cases for our clients, we’re who you want to call for all personal injury matters.