According to statistics from the federal government, there are more than eight million people who visit emergency rooms each year because they have sustained injuries from slip and falls. Many of these falls result in serious injuries that mean high medical bills, lost income, and other losses for the victim. If the accident was due to the negligence of another party, a slip and fall accident attorney can help the victim pursue damages against that party. Do not hesitate to contact an experienced slip and fall attorneys relies on to ensure that you are making the best claim possible.
Some of the more common of these serious injuries include
Brain Injury
Brain injuries are the most frequent injuries that send slip and fall accident victims to emergency rooms. Even what appears to be a minor brain injury can have an effect on the victim and still result in medical expenses and lost income because they are unable to work while they are recovering. Severe brain injuries can be devastating to the victim and their family and have a major impact on their quality of life.
Bone Fractures
Anyone who has suffered a fractured bone can attest to how much it can interfere with your life while it heals. And the length of time bones take to heal often causes issues, especially if the fracture happened to one of the larger bones, such as the shoulder, pelvis, or femur. Depending on the type of break it is, it is not uncommon for the victim to need surgery to help with the repair. For example, many victims need pins to help hold the pieces of bone together while they heal. This then means there will be a second surgery to remove the pins. The victim may also need physical therapy. All of this often leads to high medical bills and the inability to work while the victim is healing.
Soft Tissue Injury
Ligaments, muscles, and tendons are also very susceptible to injury in a slip and fall injury. As the victim is slipping, their instinct is to try to keep from falling and the body often contorts as it tries to rebalance. This can stretch and strain the soft tissues of the body. Soft tissue tears are also common. These injuries can be very painful while they heal and often affect the victim’s ability to do many of the daily activities they usually do. Less severe injuries to soft tissue are sprains and strains, however, even these injuries can result in the victim being unable to work while their injury heals.
Dislocations and Joint Injuries
The most common joints that are injured in slip and fall accidents are the hip, knee, and shoulder joints. Injuries to these areas can cause long-term disability for the victim, needing much medical treatment, therapy, and can even require surgery in order to repair the damage.
Cuts and Bruises
While cuts and bruises may not seem like an injury that a victim would seek damages for, the truth is that there are many victims who suffer serious losses from these types of injuries. If the injury is severe enough, such as a deep wound to the leg, they may have to miss some work. And there are many victims who suffer lacerations so severe they are left with scarring or disfigurement from the injury.