When property owners do not properly maintain their indoor and outdoor spaces, visitors to the property are vulnerable to getting hurt. Slip and fall accidents occur because property owners or tenants choose poor flooring materials, don’t clean spills on a timely basis, leave debris in walkways, or leave unsafe conditions unfixed. As a slip and fall lawyer I have represented clients injured by falling through termite ridden steps, slipping on unmarked waxed floors and tripping over a low brick wall at a poorly lit party.
Many injuries victims incur in a slip and fall accident have serious, even life-changing, consequences. After any personal injury accident, victims should get prompt medical attention. This is especially true if you suffer some of the most common injuries that unfortunately occur as a result of a fall.
Common Slip and Fall Accident Injuries
A slip and fall accident can cause different kinds of injuries, but the most frequent and serious injuries that victim’s incur include:
- Traumatic brain injury (TBI): The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reports that nationally, falls were the leading cause of traumatic brain injury between 2006 and 2010. Fall injuries account for approximately 40 percent of all traumatic brain injuries in the U.S. that necessitate a visit to an emergency room and/or that result in hospitalization or wrongful death.
- Spinal cord injury (SCI): The Mayo Clinic reports that falls are also a leading cause of spinal cord injury. In fact, more than 1/4 of all injuries to the spinal cord in the United States are from falls. For people over the age of 65 falls are the number one cause of spinal cord injury.
- Broken bones: According to another CDC report, one in five falls causes some serious injury, including broken bones. Wrist, arm, ankle, and hip fractures are listed by the CDC as especially common after a fall.
Broken bones and head injuries are the two most common causes of hospitalization after a fall. Approximately 700,000 patients in the United States are hospitalized because of these common slip and fall injuries. At least 250,000 seniors are hospitalized annually for fall-related hip fractures, and more than 95 percent of all hip fractures sustained by U.S. patients occur as a result of a fall.
Hospitalization is always expensive. According to the CDC, the direct medical costs associated with fall injuries in the U.S. are approximately $34 billion each year. Two-thirds of the total expenditures spent as a result of fall-related injuries go towards paying hospital bills for patients admitted for treatment after a fall.
Unfortunately, injuries incurred in a fall, such as hip fractures, spinal damage, and traumatic brain injury, are some of the most difficult types of injuries to recover from. Some patients never fully recover and need nursing home care or ongoing medical assistance. Receiving compensation can be essential to pay for necessary medical treatment. Compensation should be available from property owners or renters who were responsible for your injury. A slip and fall lawyer can help you get the compensation you deserve.
Getting Help from a Long Beach Slip and Fall Lawyer
Your Injuries are Personal to Me
I am a Long Beach slip and fall lawyer and I can help you understand your legal rights after an accident. I will try to negotiate a settlement with the property owner’s insurance company so you can receive full compensation for losses related to the fall. If a fair settlement can not be reached, I will litigate the case to obtain maximum monetary damages for both your economic and non-financial losses.
Call the Law Office of Michael D. Waks at 888-394-1174 or use the convenient online contact form to schedule a free consultation to learn how I can help if you’ve suffered an injury due to a fall. You will be under no obligation and you will never pay any money unless you recover compensation for your losses resulting from the fall-related injuries.
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