Recent Slip and Fall Settlement Examples in Pennsylvania

 

Need Slip and Fall Case Help? Call Us 24/7 – (215) 557-8686 or Email Us Here

 

The media likes to pick up stories about huge slip and fall injury payouts. They seem outrageous at times, but juries do not just pull numbers out of a hat. If the attorneys have done their job properly, they have introduced all the evidence necessary to help a jury reach those verdict amounts. The verdicts awarded are considered to be a fair compensation given the injury and the effect it will have on the injured person’s life.

What is the Average Slip and Fall Settlement Worth in Pennsylvania?

The average slip and fall settlements in Pennsylvania from the case examples listed on this page range from $250,000 to $18 million. If you have suffered injuries in a slip and fall accident due to the negligence of others, contact The Pearce Law Personal Injury & Accident Lawyers P.C. today to discuss the details of your individual case.

Compensation can include such elements as:

• Pain and suffering
• Emotional distress, such as depression and anxiety
• Loss of Companionship
• Past and future medical costs
• Future permanent physical disability, such as a limp or scars
• Caregiver costs
• Loss of salary from being unable to work

Recent Client Slip and Fall Settlement Amount in Pennsylvania

Here’s how our attorneys recently helped this client collect $250,000 dollars in compensation from their slip and fall injuries.

$250,000 Payout for Product Liability Case in 2022
In this case, our client was using a chair at their place of employment when the chair separated from the base causing them to fall to the floor. Due to the negligently manufactured design and distribution of the office chair, the client worsened their preexisting cervical disc damage and shoulder arthritis. The defendants denied liability and disputed the extent of the plaintiff’s injuries. After the verdict, our client was awarded $250,000 for their pain and suffering after falling from their office chair.

Top Million Dollar Slip and Fall Settlements

Below are some examples of recent trip and fall accident settlements and payouts we recovered for our clients. Of course, we can never guarantee the same or similar results. However, we hope that these case examples provide you with an idea of the types of compensation our slip and fall attorneys can help you pursue.

1. $11.6 Million Slip and Fall Lawsuit Settlement in 2013
   In this lawsuit, a student paralyzed in an apartment fall received $11.6 million.  In 2010, a University of Pennsylvania student, Lorna Bernhoft, fell through a raised skylight opening on the fourth floor of an off-campus residence while a student at the University of Pennsylvania. Bernhoft’s lawsuit named as defendants the building’s owner and student tenants who were aware of the opening. The skylight opening was covered only by flex board and carpet and posed a hidden defect and danger at the rental housing. The fall left her paralyzed, and she reached an out-of-court settlement with the building’s owners.  Source: https://blogs.findlaw.com/injured/2013/11/student-paralyzed-in-apt-fall-to-get-116m.html
2. $18 Million Personal Injury Lawsuit in Philadelphia in 2008
   A Philadelphia medical student, Marcus Gustafsson, who suffered a broken back in 2004 was awarded over $18 million (four years after the accident) after he fell over 20 feet through an uncovered manhole. The victim’s legal team was able to prove that the utility company Trigen-Philadephia Corporation was aware that some manholes were left uncovered and did not attempt to remedy the problem. This individual was able to collect such a large settlement due to his injury, suffering, and lost wages as a medical doctor. Although the jury returned an astounding $85-million dollar verdict against Trigen, both parties agreed on a “high-low,” which means that the parties agree on a range for the jury verdict.  The parties had set an 18-million dollar cap. Source: https://6abc.com/archive/5975525/ 

Additional Pennsylvania Slip and Fall Settlements & Awards

1. $325,000 Wrongful Death Lawsuit Settlement in 2019
   82-year-old Lenore Westerman tripped and fell and sustained a head injury as a patron of the Logan Inn restaurant resulting in a subdural hematoma, which led to her death two weeks later. Westerman’s family contended the restaurant was negligent in failing to discover the risk of fall within their establishment, causing a reasonable risk of harm to others, failing to use reasonable care to protect invitees from the dangerous condition, failing to warn of the dangerous condition, and failing to exercise reasonable care for the safety of those traversing through the premises. While the restaurant denied allegations of negligence, the case settled for $325,000.
2. $327,281 Slip and Fall Injury Resulting in Complex Regional Pain Syndrome in 2019
   In this case, a 57-year-old female was awarded a settlement for injuries sustained after a fall on a wet dance floor while attending a wedding at an event venue in 2017.  The woman broke her wrist when she slipped and fell on the dance floor after a drink was spilled. An employee of the defendant hastily cleaned the area but failed to put up warning signs. The victim’s legal team was able to prove that her wrist fractures led to a diagnosis of complex regional pain syndrome, or CPRS, and required open reduction/internal fixation and carpal tunnel release surgeries.
3. $400,000 Payout in 2019 For Fall Injury on Government Property
   Angela Jackson was awarded $400,000 after sustaining injuries including an anterior subluxation of the left femur with left knee ligament tears. Jackson was checking on the property of a deceased friend which defendant Milford Township had taken ownership/possession of after the death. The Township denied liability and claimed she was a trespasser on its property, barring recovery. The jury found that the plaintiff was lawfully on the premises and was not a trespasser at the time of incident and determined that the municipality violated codes and ordinances and was liable for the accident.
4. $250,000 Awarded After Slip and Fall in Target Store
   Carol Hobbs tripped and fell on a ripped and worn carpet or mat placed inside the entrance door of a Pennsylvania Target store. Her injuries resulted in a total knee replacement surgery. While the defendant claimed that the woman’s injuries were a result of a degenerative condition and not a fall and that the fall was due to her own actions, the jury found Target Corporation negligent and awarded Hobbs $250,000 in damages.
5. $201,551 Premises Liability Lawsuit Payout in 2018
   Irene Crowley was awarded $201,551 for unspecified injuries and medical expenses after tripping and falling over a curb stop box in front of a Philadelphia commercial building. Crowly filed a premises liability action due to the failure to maintain a safe sidewalk, knowingly allowing a dangerous condition to exist, and for not warning of or remedying the dangerous condition.
6. $350,000 Slip and Fall Lawsuit Settlement in 2018
   In this lawsuit, Carmen Gonzales suffered a broken wrist when he tripped and fell on a damaged sidewalk on the property of Domingo Vasquez. The victim contended that Vasquez failed to properly inspect, maintain and repair a known defect in the pavement. Jurors found Vasquez 60% at fault and assessed damages accordingly.
7. $950,000 Premises Liability Lawsuit Settlement in 2019
   Nekeidra Filinov suffered a right elbow fracture, requiring surgery and resulting in permanent pain, limited motion, and arthritis when she tripped and fell in a pothole located in the parking lot of Impact Thrift Store. The victim was awarded $950,000 in damages due to the store’s negligence in allowing and failing to maintain or remedy dangerous conditions in their parking lot.
8. $212,500 Wrongful Death Settlement Awarded in 2019
   An elderly nursing home resident died after suffering head injuries due to falling out of her bed at the facility. Gladys Bradley’s estate filed a lawsuit against Care Pavilion for the treatment of Bradley deviating from a reasonable standard of care. The facility had dangerously high resident-to-staff ratios. While the facility denied liability, they were able to reach a settlement agreement of $212,500.
9. $510,000 Home Depot Slip and Fall Settlement Payout in 2019
   Jonathan Brownlee sustained multiple injuries when he slipped and fell on a piece of wood while shopping at a Home Depot store. While the store’s representation claimed that the wood was open and obvious, and Brownlee’s injuries were present for years before and not made worse by the fall, the court awarded Brownlee $510,000.

Slip and Fall on Ice Settlement Amounts

1. $10 Million Slip and Fall on Ice Lawsuit Settlement in 2019
   In this case, a 43-year-old was forced to retire after slipping and falling on ice.  He won a $10 million dollar settlement after slipping because an employee of Sulpizio Mechanical accidentally drilled a hole into a water line which caused the floor to fill with water and then freeze.  The fall resulted in 5 surgical procedures on his right ankle and leg.  Source: https://www.inquirer.com/news/michael-little-one-water-street-lawsuit-settlement-10-million-old-city-slip-fall-ice-20191202.html
2. $1.275 Million Slip and Fall On Ice Settlement Amount and Payout in 2018
   A Chester County resident slipped on ice in his apartment complex parking lot, resulting in a broken ankle that required open reduction and internal fixation. The defendants, apartment complex owner Limes Associates L.P. and snow removal contractor Emico Inc were found negligent by the jury. The jury attributed Limes 94% negligent and Emico 6% negligent to the defendant. https://www.law.com/thelegalintelligencer/2018/10/04/man-awarded-1-275m-in-parking-lot-slip-and-fall/

Reasons Why a Large Slip and Fall Settlement or Verdict is Awarded

The biggest reason or factor determining a large slip and fall settlement or verdict is the severity of the sustained injury.

The victims of the slip and fall accidents required major changes to their lifestyle, both personally and professionally and will need to deal with expensive ongoing medical costs.

Although media attention would have you believe that large slip and fall compensation is commonplace, it is actually uncommon to see such awards, especially with inexperienced lawyers who do not work up the case to allow for a large settlement or jury verdict.

Speak With an Experienced Slip and Fall Attorney About Your Claim

Our firm is known for its tough negotiations, and we will take a case to trial if we cannot settle for proper compensation.  We encourage you, however, if you have been injured due to slipping and falling, and think you have a case of negligence, to contact a slip and fall attorney in our office so that we can review your accident. Interested in how much other types of accident cases can be worth? See examples of some of the top car accident settlements and verdicts in PA.

Client Settlement Reviews

“I was involved in a serious slip and fall accident. Edith recommended we take it to mediation, which was much quicker than going to trial. She is a super tough negotiator and smart. I was very satisfied with my settlement.”

Rating: 5/5 ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Review by Kurt Seelig on Google

“Ms. Pearce was attentive in hearing my case, was very sympathetic, and took great care, looked out, and stayed on top of my case, even when I gave up on it, to the point that she negotiated a surprising settlement that was more than I expected! She and her assistant did all of the hard work in dealing with the doctors, hospitals, and company during my small ‘slip and fall’ case. But what did Ms. Pearce say – no case is too small for us. You are important! What a blessing!”

Rating: 5/5 ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Review by Tanya Amir on Google

Read more of our reviews on Google. We have a 4.8-star rating and 76+ reviews.