One of the most common ways people become injured is by falling. Falls can occur anywhere, although they are more common on wet, slippery, or uneven surfaces, such as stairs, which are found in many places, including homes, workplaces, shops, hotels, and offices. There are many risks of falling when the stairs fall into disrepair or have hazards that are not addressed.
As a slip and fall attorney could confirm, stairwell accidents in Houston are sometimes just bad luck. However, on other occasions, the negligence of another party contributes to conditions that make the stairwell more dangerous. If you have been hurt due to a breached duty of care, contact a lawyer at Schechter, Shaffer & Harris for help filing a personal injury lawsuit for compensation related to your injuries.
Injuries Caused by Stairwell Accidents
In Houston, stairwell falls cause a wide range of injuries, varying in severity and recovery time. Minor cases may involve sprains, cuts, bruises, and broken bones, where victims recover reasonably quickly but still incur significant medical expenses or inconveniences caused by their injuries.
In more serious cases, however, stairwell accidents cause significant harm, including head and neck injuries, spinal cord damage, concussions, broken bones requiring surgeries to repair, or even death. These injuries may have life-changing impacts and require expensive, ongoing medical care.
What Damages Are Available for Stairwell Accident Victims?
Texas law permits accident victims to recover three primary types of damages: economic, non-economic, and punitive. Economic damages are generally straightforward to prove as they are for specific expenses related to your injuries, such as medical costs, lost wages or the inability to earn, and property damage, with documents, receipts, or estimates showing the amount spent. For serious medical injuries that may require ongoing care, including physical therapy, surgeries, or rehabilitation services, future medical expenses may also be included in economic damages.
Non-economic damages are intended to compensate accident victims for the intangible costs of their injuries, including pain and suffering, loss of enjoyment of life, anxiety, and stress. Because these subjective costs cannot be proven by showing a receipt, it is essential to engage a skilled accident attorney to show the jury why you deserve compensation for your suffering. These economic and non-economic damages aim to compensate for financial losses and return you to your pre-accident position.
While only applicable in cases where the party responsible for the accident acted in a fraudulent, malicious, or grossly negligent manner, punitive damages are intended to punish the wrongdoer and deter similar behavior in the future. For example, if someone in Houston deliberately pushes or trips another person in a stairwell, punitive damages might apply. Under Texas law, punitive damages are capped at the greater of $200,000 or twice the amount of economic damages plus the amount of non-economic damages, up to a maximum of $750,000.
Contact Us in Houston Today for Advice About Your Stairwell Accident Claim
Stairwell accidents in Houston are no laughing matter. If you have suffered because of another party’s negligence, recklessness, or intentional harm, you deserve financial help to recover from your injuries.
If you were hurt in this way, call our team at Schechter, Shaffer & Harris today. Let us take the lead on your legal case, allowing you to focus on getting better and returning to your life.
