Everyone has fallen at some point and when it happens, you may be more concerned about your injured pride than your injured body, but some falls do result in serious injury. As we age, falls become especially dangerous. In fact, falls result in more fatal and nonfatal injuries for older Americans than any other cause. One-fifth of all falls result in a serious injury like a head injury or broken bone.
What injuries can result from a fall?
If you have suffered from a fall, you may have one of the following injuries:
- Head injuries – Falls are a source of many traumatic brain injuries, as well as more minor head injuries. These can have long-lasting effects.
- Neck and back injuries – Falls can cause whiplash to the neck, as well as serious impact to the back. You may even end up with a broken vertebra or a spinal cord injury.
- Broken bones – A broken bone is painful for anyone, but can be life-threatening for older people. In fact, falls cause 95 percent of hip fractures.
- Strains and sprains – Short of breaking a bone, you may end up with a strain or sprain, which can also be very painful and take a long time to heal.
- Cuts and bruises – Depending on where and how you fall, you will most likely have a scrape, cut or bruise somewhere. Deep lacerations require immediate medical attention.
No matter what type of injury you suffered, make sure you seek medical care right away and follow up with your doctor’s recommendations. The sooner you seek care, the better your chances of recovery.
Where did the fall take place?
Property owners have a duty to keep their premises safe for visitors. This includes anywhere a guest may go, such as the sidewalk outside, the indoor areas and any stairs. For example, they are responsible for slippery floors, uneven steps and cracks in sidewalks. If your fall happened on someone else’s property, you may have a premises liability claim against the property owner.
