Many people sustain severe injuries after being in a slip and fall accident. Out of the approximately eight million emergency room visits reported each year, 12% of the cases are slip and fall accidents. If your accident occurred in a hospital, you may need additional help from a medical malpractice lawyer in Kentucky. Slip and fall accidents are serious. The injuries may need extensive medical attention, physical rehabilitation, and in worst cases, they can lead to disability that requires constant care or even death.
If you or your loved one has been in a slip and fall accident, it may be a good idea to know the common injuries you can deal with. Understanding the injuries will help you know if you have a legal claim and how best to work with your personal injury lawyer, such as Gibbs & Crivelli, Slingshot Law, when filing your claim to ensure that you get the right compensation.
Read on for common slip and fall injuries that may justify filing a personal injury suit.
Sprains and Strains
As you fall, it is natural to put out your arms to try to cushion the fall. Such an action can cause you to trip and twist your ankle or knees. You can also sprain the ligaments around your ankles or wrists and cause them to tear. Even though these injuries are not very serious, they take a long time to heal because ligaments do not receive a lot of blood.
If you have a sprain, you may not be able to walk, work, or even mundane actions like buttoning your shirt. This can interfere with your life and affect your regular duties, and you should claim for the pain and damages they cause.
Broken Bones
The impact of landing on the ground or hitting something as you fall can easily break your bones. You might break your leg, arm, ankle, spine, hand, hip, or pelvis. This injury is common in older adults because bones tend to weaken with age. Note that your health or age at the time of injury does not matter when filing for a claim. Irrespective of how fragile you are, you still have the right to claim for damages.
Head Injuries
Falls are a major cause of Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI). This can be a minor concussion that can heal fast or a severe injury that causes cognitive impairment, ongoing seizures, mood changes, and other symptoms. This injury affects all age groups and should be taken seriously.
Spinal Cord and Back Injuries
The impact on the body as you fall can cause slipped or herniated discs or fracture the vertebrae. This injury will limit your mobility, and it also causes significant pain. If you injure your spinal cord, you might end up with temporary or permanent paralysis and other sensory and neurologic impairments.
Hip Fractures
Hip fractures are also common in slip and fall accidents. More than 95% of hip fractures result from falling. This injury requires surgery that might include the insertion of an artificial hip and hospitalization. This makes it expensive, and you will also have to take a lot of time off work to nurse the injury.
Shoulder and Knee Injuries
You may dislocate your shoulder when you fall or twist your knee. Knees have a lot of ligaments and bones that take a lot of time to heal when hurt. Shoulder and knee injuries are painful and can require surgery and rehabilitation.
Cuts, Bruises, and Soft Tissue Injuries
Cuts and bruises can result in internal or external injuries. While this injury may not seem serious, it is important to document it and seek medical attention. The same goes for other soft tissue injuries such as injuries to the nerves, tendons, fats, ligaments, and muscles.
Contact an Experienced Slip and Fall Lawyer
If you have been in a slip and fall accident, get in touch with the right experienced lawyer to help you file your claim and protect your legal right. Regardless of your age or type of injury, you have a right to claim for damages.
