Often, individuals come to us and want to know the average value of a staircase slip and fall. There is no simple answer for stairway slip and fall accident settlements, as they can range in amount from low to high. Our law group, Normandie Law Firm, will do everything in our power to win your case for you and ensure that your stairway accident results in a sizeable settlement.
Causes of Stairway Accidents
There could be a number of reasons that stairway accidents occurred. You may have slipped on a spilled beverage or a leak that happened from an air conditioning unit. There could be a pipe that leaked as well. There may be debris, leaves, materials, merchandise, or other objects on the stairs that made it hard to walk.
Some stairs may not have working handrails; they could be loosely fit or they could be rickety. If excess weight is placed on them, they could separate from their stabilizers or from the wall. Bear in mind that some of these accidents can be caused by the negligent action of employees or workers. If this occurs, you may be privy to a large settlement.
Potential Injuries from Stairway Slip and Falls
If you slipped and fell on the stairs of a hotel or if you slipped and fell on the hotel’s stairway while doing delivery, you may have suffered serious injuries. Many times, victims were unable to stop their falls because their hands were full, and they were much more injured than they otherwise would have been. Some other times, the premises is simply unsafe, which can lead to accidents. A few of the injuries that can occur from these types of accidents include:
- Broken bones
- Sprains
- Strains
- Muscle damage
- Ligament damage
- Puncture wounds and crushing injuries
- Lacerations
- Spinal cord injuries
- Abrasions
- CRPS
- Bruises
- Concussions
- Traumatic brain injuries
- Closed head injuries
- Internal organ damage
- Internal bleeding
- Paraplegia and quadriplegia
- Death
If you find yourself injured, you should take appropriate legal action and sue the responsible party.
Common Questions about Staircase Accidents
Our law firm constantly receives phone calls from clients who want to know the answers to key questions about staircase accidents. Some of these questions include:
How much is my stairway slip and fall case worth?
Your stairway slip and fall case can be worth thousands of dollars if the premises owner were negligent, if someone didn’t clean up a spill, if a property owner did not repair a hazard, and more.
How much money can I receive if I tripped and fell in a staircase?
You can receive $20,000 if you tripped and fell in a staircase, if not more, but your case must be airtight.
How much do stairway injury cases settle for?
Stairway trip and fall injury cases settle for various amounts, from anywhere between $5,000 and $1,000,000. Some cases are worth more due to catastrophic injuries and consequences.
The average value of a slip and fall case on a stairway is $10,000 if you have appropriate evidence and you were clearly a victim. A staircase slip and fall case will settle for $1,000,000 if you were significantly injured and there were many laws broken or complete negligence occurred. In order to determine how much the staircase trip and fall case will settle for, you will need to speak with an attorney.
Premises Liability and Stairway Accidents
Premises liability claims due to a stairway accident can be filed if the landlord, property owner, or property manager made an error or was negligent in some manner. Premises liability refers to the location or premises; there must have been some kind of issue on the property that was not meant to be there. This issue must have been a hazard, defect, spill, broken object, or other similar problem, and it must have caused or contributed to an accident and injury. There are three ways you can file a premises liability claim. These situations are as follows below:
- There was a hazard on the premises that was caused by the property owner, property manager, or staff
- The hazard or defect within the premises was made known to the property owner, but he took no action to fix the problem, block it off from other people, or place any hazard signs or warning signs to alert individuals that there was a problem
- The hazard was not made known to the property owner, but if he were attentive and responsible or if he had conducted an investigation or check up, he would have been aware of it and would have done something to remedy it
In addition to correctly identifying the type of situation the accident consisted it, it is also crucial that you understand what type of guest you were when you were on the property. Anyone who steps on private property is labeled as one of three types of guests. These types include:
- Invitees, or those present on the property for a mutual benefit like the exchange of money and services; they are to be given the highest duty of care and there should be no hazards near them
- Licensees, who can be considered social guests; they have a slightly diminished duty of care afforded to them, but they still must be protected and must not be privy to any dangers or hazards
- Trespassers, or those who have no legal right to be on the property at that time; they are given the lowest protection, but they still cannot be deliberately harmed with the use of traps, especially if the trespasser is partaking in a commonly used shortcut
Therefore, depending on your status and the situation, the average settlement for a staircase slip and fall case will vary. If you were a trespasser who was not legally allowed on the property at the time of the incident, you might only be able to earn less than $1000. However, if, while delivering for Fedex, Amazon, Amazon Flex, DoorDash, Grubhub, Postmates, Uber Eats, or other services, you slipped and fell on the stairs, you could earn more, as you were performing a service. Workers may receive in excess of $20,000 depending on the circumstances of the case.
Our Recent Verdicts and Settlements
$300,000
$500,000
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$600,000
Average Settlement Amount for a Stairway Trip and Fall Lawsuit Case
Slip and fall stairway settlement amounts vary from case to case. The insurance agent handling the claim will look at a number of factors when making a decision. First and foremost, he will consider the severity of the injuries you suffered; if you were seriously hurt, he will make a larger offer than if you were not seriously injured. Some cases may be worth over $1,000,000 if the injuries are permanent or require you to live a diminished life. However, some staircase trip and fall lawsuits result in less than $10,000 because the injuries were easily fixed and were not extensive at all. In addition to injuries, though, the insurance agent will consider the career you hold, your age, and whether or not you could be held partially responsible for the incident. If you had a hand in the accident, such as by being negligent yourself, he’d likely greatly decrease the settlement offer. We’ve seen insurance agents only offer $1,000 because a victim couldn’t hold a handrail, for example.
Some of the types and amounts of compensation that you can receive from a staircase accident claim include:
- Medical bills for surgery fees, hospital stay, medication and prescription drugs, anesthesiologist costs and fees for other specialists, X-rays and MRI tests, physical therapy or rehabilitation sessions, future medical procedures or surgeries, and much more
- Lost income if you were unable to return to your job, whether immediately after the accident or at some point in the future; this missed income can bonuses, commissions, benefits, tips, and more
- Property damage if any personal belongings were damaged in the incident and must be replaced or repaired
- Pain and suffering damages for fear, anxiety, PTSD, psychological scarring, and other mental stresses
- Wrongful death damages if a loved one died in the incident or in the aftermath of the incident; this can pre-death medical bills and expenses, pre-death pain and suffering, funeral and burial expenses, loss of relations and consortium, loss of inheritance and savings, and much more
- Punitive damages if the liable party acted with gross negligence or with the intent to cause damage, but these damages are often viewed as excessive and unnecessary; thus, they are very difficult to win, and only a skilled attorney will be able to secure them for your case
If you want to ensure you receive more than just the average payout for a stairway slip and fall case, you’ll need expert legal representation. A lawyer with experience in stairway slip and fall cases will be able to handle your case for you, negotiate a fair deal, and ensure that the insurance agent makes a worthwhile offer.
Deadline to File a Lawsuit for a Stairway Slip and Fall Lawsuit
In California, the statute of limitations on personal injury claims, and there stairway slip and fall cases, is 2 years from the date of the injury. The statute of limitations is the time during which you can file a claim and pursue legal compensation from the responsible party. If you do not file your lawsuit within that time period, your claim will essentially be voided and you will be unable to receive any payments at all. The main reason that many cases tend to not get resolved is because victims do not acknowledge that there is a statute of limitations, or they try to sue too late. It is crucial that you act fast when you’re pursuing a lawsuit – your evidence will be better preserved and you will have a better chance of success.
It is possible that your claim can be extended, though, if there are special circumstances surrounding it. For example, minors cannot sue, but their parents or legal guardians can do so on their behalf. If a minor is hurt, he can wait until he turns 18 years old before filing a lawsuit. Additionally, some individuals may be left incapacitated after the incident. They could have fallen into a coma or could have had a mental breakdown due to the injuries and aftereffects. This would then cause the statute of limitations to be put on hold until they return to health and awareness. Moreover, it is required that the defendant be present in the state of California – if he has vacated the state, or even the country, the statute will be frozen until he returns.
Our Firm’s Promise to You
Normandie Law Firm has recovered hundreds of millions of dollars in compensation over the years for our clients. We know the best methods for success and will stop at nothing to bring you a large settlement. We are willing to go to court to fight for your rights, and we will present all your evidence to the judge and argue for a fair verdict.
For a free legal consultation to discuss your claim, you can reach our law offices any time. We ensure that all information is kept private and confidential, and nothing you share with us will be relayed elsewhere. Additionally, if you want to hire us, we’ll make sure you pay no out of pocket expenses. Our zero fee guarantee says that we will get paid if we win, and the money will come from the settlement from the insurance agency. If we lose, we eat the losses ourselves, and you owe our firm nothing.
To learn more about the average settlement amount for a stairway accident and to get started on your claim, contact Normandie Law Firm today.
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