Serious slips and falls are more common than many people realize. The National Floor Safety Institute reports these accidents result in more than 1 million emergency room visits each year. While some slip and fall injuries may be relatively minor, others can be absolutely catastrophic, requiring extensive medical treatment, rehabilitation, and other costly support services.
Some of the most devastating injuries associated with slips and falls include:
- Torn muscles, ligaments, and tendons. Though soft tissue injuries aren’t life-threatening, they can be painful and in some cases, debilitating. Depending on the severity, soft tissue injuries can take several months to heal, even with proper treatment.
- Fractured bones. Broken bones are common slip and fall injuries. While arms and legs are vulnerable to breakage during a slip and fall, hip fractures are actually the injury most likely to lead to serious health problems and death.
- Head and brain injuries. Many slip and fall victims strike their heads on the floor when they go down. This can lead to concerning head and brain health complications, such as concussions, or moderate or severe traumatic brain injuries, which can cause long-term or lifelong physical, cognitive, emotional, and behavioral impairments.
- Spinal cord injuries. Forceful slips and falls often damage the spine, which may result in varying degrees of paralysis that can be temporary or permanent.
- Death. Some slip and fall injuries, such as head traumas, may be serious enough to cause death. Other times, slip and fall injuries can lead to secondary injuries that may become fatal.
Consult an Experienced Premises Liability Attorney
If you were seriously hurt in a slip and fall incident on someone else’s property, you may have grounds for a premises liability claim. The knowledgeable premises liability attorneys with the Accident and Injury Law Group understand how complex these cases can be. We’ll answer questions about your slip and fall claim, and help uphold your legal rights and options. Contact us today to schedule an appointment for a free initial case consultation.