Slip and Fall Incidents–Not Just Grandma’s Problem

When you think of a slip and fall accident, the first thing that comes to mind is a trip at your job, or a tumble on an uneven sidewalk, however, you’d be surprised how often slips and falls actually occur and how dangerous they can actually be–so much so that they often require a personal injury attorney to act on behalf of the injured. Though ugly stumbles are the second leading cause for injury-based deaths in seniors between the ages of 65-84, it is important to understand that 50% of all slip and fall death related injuries happen within the home, regardless of age or sex. Work related slip and fall accidents, happen to be a major cause for worker’s compensation claims as well as the most highly regarded purpose of a work related injury for people over 54 years of age. This suggests that a simple trip can happen at anytime and anywhere, to everyone and anyone.

Factors in Slip and Fall Injuries in the General Population

With reference to the NFSI, or the National Floor Safety Institute, slips and falls represent over 8 millions hospital emergency room visits per year. Of this 8 million, the Consumer Product Safety Commision ( CPSC) claim that over 2 million of these falls are due to improper flooring materials or conditions. This proposes that it may not even be the victim’s fault.

 

The most common slip and fall accidents occur because of the following reasons: wet or slippery floors, nursing home malpractice, improper footwear, ill-advised training, or bad weather conditions. Each pillar of blame has its own set of rules when it comes to examining fault. For example, the University of Alabama at Birmingham reports that between 2002- 2012, the U.S emergency rooms treated over 12,000 high heel related injuries. Personal clumsiness, style choices, and intoxication levels can obviously, contribute to the likelihood of a potentially harmful trip and fall accident. Though these types of mishaps can be very frequent, only about 5% of the fallen victims have suffered severed injuries such as a fracture.

Slip and Fall Accidents: Aftermath and Injuries

Slip and fall injuries are the reason for a growing number of hospital visits. Though some, injuries are potentially less harmful than others, there is a serious danger when it comes to taking a tumble that most people don’t realize–especially for the elderly. Frequent damage associated with slip and falls are not limited to just fractures, but also encompass head injuries, back and spinal cord damage, and shoulder sprains.

Taking Action following a Fall

If you are a loved one has experienced a misfortune such as this, then you need to know exactly what to do. The cost of a slip and fall accident may not also extend way past financial fees, can lead to years of pain and suffering, and in some cases even cause death. You should not have to pay for someone else’s negligence. When determining liability and if possible chance of remuneration a lawyer should be contacted.