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In a Philadelphia staircase fall accident lawsuit, injured individuals may recover for the following damages:
- past and future medical bills,
- past and future lost wages,
- out of pocket expenses, and
- pain and suffering.
Medical bills, lost wages and out of pocket expenses can easily be calculated with medical bills, pay stubs and receipts. However, pain and suffering is different for each individual. The amount of financial compensation for pain and suffering an individual may receive in an injury lawsuit depends on a whole host of factors, such as the nature of the injuries, the severity of the injuries, the short-term/long-term prognosis of the injuries and how the injuries affect the injured victim’s life, i.e., at work, at home, etc.
Below are two Philadelphia stairway fall accident scenarios that illustrate different pain and suffering damages for two individuals with the same injuries.
Scenario 1 – Elderly Woman Suffers a Hip Fracture After a Fall from Stairs
An elderly woman’s heel gets caught on the tread of a step in a Philadelphia hotel. As a result, she falls down a flight of stairs and lands on her hip. The woman fractures her hip and needs to have hip surgery to fix the fracture. After her surgery, she needs extensive physical therapy. After several months of physical therapy, she is still in considerable pain. Due to complications, she needs to have another surgery.
Due to her hip injury, the woman’s life is significantly affected. Her hip pain prevents her from exercising, taking daily walks with her husband, playing with her grandkids and performing chores around the house such as cleaning. She no longer has an active lifestyle like before. Because she is confined to her home due to her hip injury, she becomes depressed.
Scenario 2 – Young Woman Suffers Hip Fracture After Falling Down Stairs
Using the same facts in scenario 1, a woman in her 20s suffers the same hip fracture after falling down a flight of stairs inside a Philadelphia hotel. Like the elderly woman, she also needs surgery and extensive physical therapy. However, unlike the elderly woman, the woman in her 20s heals and recovers much faster. After several months of physical therapy, she makes great progress and is able to return to her daily life. She is able to exercise and do everything she was able to do before her accident.
Difference in Pain and Suffering
Even though these 2 women suffered the same injury, the elderly woman has more pain and suffering damages because she required a second surgery. In addition, the length of time her hip injury affected her is much longer than the woman in her 20s. Therefore, the amount of pain and suffering damages the elderly woman may receive will be greater than the woman in her 20s.
Help After a Philadelphia Stairway Fall Accident
If you suffered a fall accident in Philadelphia or other parts of Pennsylvania, it is best to consult with a seasoned slip, trip and fall accident lawyer in Philadelphia. Having an experienced lawyer on your side will ensure that you receive the maximum amount of recovery.
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