Mature Man Lying On Staircase After Slip And Fall Accident
When a person slips or trips on another person’s property and becomes injured, the common term used to describe the incident is “slip and fall.”
Most people immediately get up to check their head after slipping and falling. They know that brain injuries may result from falls, so the first thing they want to ensure is that the accident won’t cause any long-lasting effects on their health. Slip and fall incidents may cause different types of injuries other than a brain injury, such as soft tissue or broken bones. Some can be very serious while others are quite easy to manage.
Man in winter dress slip on sidewalk with ice closeup background. Heath insurance concept
Here are some of the injuries slipping and falling can cause:
- Soft Tissue Injuries
People suffering from this type of injury who want to file a lawsuit against the owner of the premises where the accident happened, may find it hard to prove their case because soft tissue injuries aren’t visible from the outside. After the initial fall, most victims don’t even realize that they have this type of slip and fall injury for days or even weeks, so seeking settlements can be complicated. The best thing to do is check out other resources online to find more information on the type of settlement, one should choose for a specific slip and fall incident.
Devastating tears in ligaments and tendons and minor wrist and ankle sprains are examples of soft tissue injuries. When left untreated, they can cause chronic pain. Not to mention, a person suffering from any soft tissue injuries may also become more prone to subsequent injuries. That’s why it’s essential to seek medical care even if you’re feeling nothing wrong. Again, symptoms of soft tissue injuries often only come out later.
- Injuries To The Head
Immediately seeking medical attention is crucial for someone who hit their head in a fall. In some cases, even the symptoms of a concussion can take hours or days to present. It makes head injuries very challenging to diagnose on symptoms alone.
Note that traumatic brain injuries (TBI) require medical attention even though most minor concussions clear up on their own.
- Skin Cuts And Abrasions
Severe cuts and abrasions may result from slips and falls. These injuries, are often less extensive when compared to other slip and fall injuries.
Wounds to the hips and head are common, as are leg and arm abrasions. People who have sustained them only require superficial treatment besides the few odd stitches here and there. However, some cases of cuts and abrasions may come alongside concussions, broken bones, and other more severe injuries if the fall’s impact is sufficiently hefty. These cases also require a higher level of treatment.
- Broken Bones And Damaged Bone Tissue
This type of slip-and-fall injury requires a lengthy recovery process because it can be so painful. In some cases, correcting the damage means undergoing one or more surgeries or wearing a plaster cast at the very least. The victim will also need long-term chronic pain treatment if the tissue around the bone is damaged extensively. That’s why immediate medical treatment is necessary for broken bones.
- Injuries To The Spinal Cord
These injuries demand immediate medical care and ongoing treatment because they’re almost always life-threatening. They occur because of a severed or compressed spinal cord. In the first year of a spinal injury, treatment costs can reach up to a million dollars. That’s why they’re considered to be the costliest slip and fall injury to treat. The higher up the spinal column the more serious the injury is.
What Are The Common Causes Of Slip And Fall Incidents?
Most slip and fall cases result because of the negligence of safety on or in the premises. However, it’s not to say that it’s impossible to sustain slip-and-fall injuries through someone’s own negligence.
Here are the most common reasons why people slip and fall:
- Excessively wet floor due to mopping or floor waxing
- Spills or debris on the floor
- Unsafe working zones or construction sites
- Uneven surfaces such as concrete cracks or carpet licks
Appropriate warning for taking proper precautions should be in place to avoid slips and falls because of these things.
Final Thoughts
Seeking medical care as soon as possible is vital among slip-and-fall victims. Check-ups and diagnoses are necessary even if they don’t appear to be in pain. As already mentioned, brain injuries, if not treated quickly, can be fatal. A CT scan or an X-ray can help diagnose them.
It’s also essential to note that if you were injured because of a slip and fall incident on another person’s premises, you might be entitled to compensation in the form of cash to help you in your recovery.
