This article talks about ankle injuries from slip, trip and falls in Florida and on cruises. I wrote a separate article on ankle injury claims in car, truck and motorcycle accidents in Florida.
Unless I say otherwise, this article assumes that someone’s negligence caused your ankle injury.
Sprained Ankle Not Worth As Much as Ankle Fracture or Tear
All things equal, a sprained ankle is not worth as much as an ankle fractures (broken ankle).
Ankle Fracture Case Worth More than Ankle Tear
Jury verdicts are higher for the full value of the pain and suffering of an ankle fracture than an ankle tear.
How Much is Pain & Suffering Worth for a Ligament or Tendon Tear in the Ankle?
Past Florida jury verdicts for the pain and suffering component are usually under $15,000 for tear of a tendon or ligament in your ankle without surgery. It depends on how it heals and the resultant disability.
How Much is Pain & Suffering Worth for a Ligament or Tendon Tear in the Ankle with Surgery?
With surgery, the range is $40,000 to $75,000 but could be more if it doesn’t heal well.
How Much is Pain & Suffering Worth for an Ankle Fracture Without Surgery?
Past Florida jury verdicts for the pain and suffering component are typically between $15,000 to $25,000 for an ankle fracture without surgery. It depends on how it heals and the resultant disability.
With surgery, the range is $40,000 to $75,000 but could be more if it doesn’t heal well.
No Guarantee that You Will Get Paid a Penny
There is no guarantee that you will get a penny for your case because there are many factors that affect the value of a case. There is a chance that you won’t be able to prove that the property owner was negligent, or that they caused your ankle injury.
Man Gets $64,900 for Ankle Injury from Trip and Fall on Grassy Hole
See a case where a man got a $64,900 settlement for tripping and falling in a hole that was covered by grass overgrowth in Doral, Miami-Dade, Florida.
He Already Had an Injured Ankle Before the Fall
Before the fall, he was getting treatment for his current ankle injury. His ankle was slowly getting better.
He Had Surgery to Fix His Ligament and Tendon (in his Ankle)
He had surgery to repair an unstable ankle ligament and peroneal tendon tear after he tripped and fell in a hole that was covered with grass overgrowth in a condominium complex.
The peroneal tendon can be seen in the image below.
He Got $58,000 for Pain and Suffering
About $58,000 of the $64,900 settlement was for pain and suffering. I represented the injured man.
Customer Hit By Stanley Steamer Vacuum Gets $25,000 for Ankle Tear
Passenger Gets $25,000 for Ankle Fracture Slip and Fall on Wet Steps
A passenger was walking down steps on a cruise ship. She didn’t know that water was on them.
On her return, while walking back up the steps, she slipped and fell. She fractured her ankle.
She treated for about 1 year. She healed well and didn’t need surgery.
We claimed that the cruise line caused the water to get onto the floor. We settled the case for $25,000.
$45,000 Verdict for Pain & Suffering from Surgery When Gate Falls on Man’s Ankle
This isn’t my case.
Man Helps Security Guard Move a Gate
A security guard asked him to move a 300 pound gate in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. While moving the gate, it landed on the his foot and he fell to the ground.
Doctors Diagnosed Him With Acute & Chronic Inflammation
A jury awarded a man $45,000 for pain and suffering damages for his acute and chronic synovitis (inflammation) to the ankle.
He Waited 4 Months to Get Treatment
The man waited 4 months to get medical treatment following the incident.
He Had Surgery 1 Year After Accident
This resulted in arthroscopy (surgery), 1 year later.
Claimant 15% at Fault; Verdict Reduced by 15%
The claimant was found 15% at fault. He was 48 years old. He waited 4 months to get medical treatment.
The pain and suffering award was broken down to:
- $30,000 for past pain and suffering
- $15,000 for future pain and suffering.
The case went to trial in Broward County. The verdict was in 2002 and the accident happened in 1999.
The case is Lloyd Scott vs. Broward Partnership for the Homeless.
Good Verdict Because He Waited 4 Months to Get Treatment
This is a good verdict for him because he waited 4 months to get medical treatment following the incident.
Gaps in Treatment Usually Lower Case Value
The settlement value of your case usually decreases the longer you wait to get medical treatment.
The claims adjuster will argue that the accident or incident did not cause your ankle tear because if it did, you would have got immediate medical care.
Since the plaintiff was 48 years old at the time of the accident, he had a life expectancy of 31 more years. You can find someone’s life expectancy by going to this chart.
Awarded $10,000/Year for Past Pain and Suffering
He was awarded $10,000 per year for past pain and suffering. I arrived at this amount because it took 3 years for this case to get trial.
Awarded $500/Year for Future Pain and Suffering; 48 Years Old
He was awarded about $500 per year ($1.37 per day) per future pain and suffering.
Man Wins $20,000 for Pain and Suffering for Ankle Muscle Tear from Fall
This isn’t my case. A man won $20,000 for pain and suffering for a tear of the peroneus longus muscle in a man’s right ankle.
He Tripped and Fell on Open Water Meter Box
He claimed that he tripped and fell on an open water meter box. The lawsuit was against the City of Ormond Beach, located in Volusia County, Florida.
He did not sue for medical bills or lost wages.
Jury Says He Was 10% at Fault; Verdict Reduced by 10%
The jury found the city liable for the incident but found the man 10% fault. The verdict is then reduced by 10%, which is percentage of fault.
After Applying Fault, He Gets $18,000
He could recover $18,000 by using the following formula:
Recovery = Total Verdict x (100% – % of comparative fault)
Since the jury found the man 10% at fault, we substitute “x” with “10%” which is:
Recoverable Award = $20,000 x (100% – 10% comparative fault)
Recoverable Award = $20,000 x (.9)
Recoverable Award = $18,000
Pain and Suffering is Just 1 Component in a Case
The full value of the pain and suffering component is just one component of the case. This value is added to the economic damages (out of pocket medical bills and lost wages) to arrive at the full value of the case.
The full value of the case is then adjusted by any, or all, of the 76 factors that may affect the settlement value of a Florida injury case.
You then arrive at the fair settlement range for an ankle injury caused by someone’s carelessness an accident in Florida, or on a boat or cruise.
Did someone’s carelessness cause your ankle injury in slip, trip and fall or other accident in Florida, or on a cruise or boat?
See Our Settlements
Check out some of the many Florida injury cases that we have settled, including but not limited to store or supermarket accidents, cruise ship accidents, dog bites and much more.
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Editor’s Note: This post has been completely revamped and updated.