On average, slips and falls cause 9 million emergency room visits per year. Along with this statistic, this expansive group of injuries is the second cause of unintentional deaths in the U.S. and the leading cause of fatal and non-fatal conditions for the elderly.
Yet, “slip and fall injuries” describe a range of issues from scrapes and sprains to concussions, broken bones, and brain damage. Out of this group, the most common are:
Head Injuries: Encompassing traumatic brain injuries (TBIs) and brain damage, the injury may be apparent or could entirely be internal. As brain injuries can be fatal, immediate medical attention is a must after the fall. Even if the injured individual survives, however, rehabilitation is needed, and he or she may experience ongoing memory and mobility issues, permanent behavioral changes, and diminished cognitive abilities.
Neck, Back, and Spine Injuries: Slips and falls may result in conditions from a slipped disc to a broken back. Patients may require surgery, but for this group of injuries, too, the ramifications are long term: chronic pain or a permanent condition preventing the injured from returning back to work.
Broken Hips and Pelvis: A particular issue for elderly patients, these injuries may require hip replacement surgery.
Tendon and Ligament Damage: These injuries to the feet, knees, or wrist also have potential to result in long-term damage. In a better scenario, the injured takes months to heal after surgery and has to undergo physical therapy.
Broken or Sprained Arms, Wrists, and Hands: While milder, this group requires a few weeks of recovery time, in which the patient must keep the limb immobile.
Shoulder Injuries: A fall may be hard enough to dislocate a shoulder – a condition called “brachial plexus injury.” When this happens, damage occurs to the group of nerves connecting the spinal cord to the shoulder, arm, and hand. Like many slip and fall injuries, these, too, require surgery and physical therapy.
No matter from a trip or a slip on an icy sidewalk, an injury is just the start. Often within months, medical bills accumulate, time off from work becomes inevitable, and wages dry up. In more worst-case scenarios, rehabilitation means the injured has to take months off from work, or the condition results in a lesser earning capacity long term.
When someone’s quality of life changes so drastically, the negligent property owner must be held responsible. To start pursuing a premises liability claim, contact any of Trantolo & Trantolo’s Connecticut law offices.
