You can claim two main types of damages. “Economic damages” cover concrete financial losses: vehicle repair or replacement costs, all medical bills (including future treatments), lost wages, and out-of-pocket expenses like rental cars. “Non-economic damages” compensate for pain and suffering, emotional distress, and loss of enjoyment of life. In rare cases involving extreme negligence, “punitive damages” may be awarded to punish the at-fault party. Keep meticulous records of every expense and how your injuries affect your daily life to support your claim for full compensation.

General liability is a broad category of insurance that covers common business risks from everyday operations. It’s not for auto or professional errors. Instead, it typically covers third-party bodily injury (like a customer slipping in a store), third-party property damage (like damaging a client’s property), and personal/advertising injury (like libel or slander). It’s a foundational coverage for most businesses to protect against claims from customers, vendors, or the public for incidents that occur on business premises or from general business activities.

You are responsible if your negligence caused the dangerous condition. This means you knew or should have known about a hazard—like a broken step, icy walkway, or wet floor—and failed to fix it or warn visitors about it in a reasonable time. Simply owning the property where someone falls does not automatically make you liable. The key question is whether you acted with reasonable care to keep your property safe for guests, customers, or other expected visitors.