When You're Hurt In A Public Place: Determining Liability And The Extent Of Your Injuries
If you are injured in a public place, such as the library, determining who is liable for your injuries may be a bit more difficult than you think. While the library is responsible for providing a safe environment for everyone to enjoy, you are also responsible for following the rules of the library. If you get hurt because you were sliding down a stair banister, you are the one responsible for your injuries. On the other hand, if you go to use the elevator and, as you step into it, the elevator drops several feet, you are not liable for your injuries. The library could be liable if proper maintenance hasn't been done on the elevator, or the manufacturer may be liable, or both.
When an Accident Occurs, Injuries Must be Present
Even if an elevator malfunctions and you fall into the elevator, you must sustain injuries in order to be able to file a viable personal injury lawsuit. While accidents happen, personal injury lawsuits only provide compensation for injuries that you sustain. If you are out of work for any period of time or you find yourself unable to fully recover from your injuries, the extent of your injuries will have to be determined.
If Your Injuries are Extensive
If you are hurt bad enough that your injuries appear permanent, it's important to get your injuries well documented by your treatment team. This means you must attend all doctor's appointments and follow through with all referrals for additional treatment. Your providers will not be able to determine if you are at a medical end to treatment until all recommended treatment has been tried. You must work hard in your recovery so that you can show you are doing everything you can in order to get better.
Once Liability and Extent of Injuries is Determined
Once you know who is liable for your injuries and how extensive your injuries are, your lawyer will have a better idea as to the level of financial compensation you should receive. If your injuries are permanent, you will likely receive more compensation than if you were just out of work for a few weeks. Your lawyer takes into consider your medical bills, lost wages, future lost wages, pain and suffering as part of your overall compensation.
When you are hurt in a public place, you have the right to sue for personal injury if you were injured using the property as intended. Talk with an injury lawyer about your options.
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