What Injuries Are Caused by a Slip and Fall Accident?

Many injuries are sustained through risk-taking. Usually, we understand the risk we are taking when we participate in activities that could result in injuries. For instance, going for a drive or playing contact sports. Those, while normal everyday activities, are inherently risky to some degree. We know about these risks, but take precautions against them; whether that be wearing a seatbelt and driving defensively, or wearing a helmet and knee pads.

An activity we don’t usually consider to be risky is walking, and while it is a casual normal thing most of us do as humans, when we slip and fall, it always comes as a surprise. Even if you’re walking on ice and are trying to be careful, that slip always catches us off guard. Not only does it surprise us when we slip, but the injuries we sustain from that slip and resulting fall to the ground can be quite a serious shock.

What causes a slip and fall injury?

Generally, falling is caused either by slipping on a surface or tripping over a hazard in your walking path.

There are all sorts of ways you could hurt yourself in a slip and fall injury. It’s not uncommon for the flooring or ground to be wet or unstable; “According to the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), floors and flooring materials contribute directly to more than 2 million fall injuries each year.” Perhaps the tile floor was wet and you didn’t realize, or there was a patch of black ice you didn’t see, but some of the most common falls include:

• Debris on the floor, such as flour spilled at a grocery store.
• Floors that are inherently slippery. Many casinos use shiny marble flooring that is very slippery when any liquid is spilled on it.
• A floor that is excessively wet (with rain or after being mopped up) without appropriate warning.
• Uneven surfaces, such as a hole or indentation in a concrete floor.
• Unsafe construction or working zones, including failure of workers to take proper precautions, or failure of managers to either allow or instruct workers to take proper precautions.

What sort of injuries can you sustain from a slip and fall accident?

With a slip and fall, there are many different types of injuries you could sustain, and the severity of the injury can vary as well. While slips and falls do not make up the majority of fatal injuries, they can result in serious injuries and  represent the major cause for lost days from work. The other most common injuries sustained from a slip and fall incident include:

• Head injuries and concussions
• Neck and back injuries
• Fractured or broken limbs
• Severe sprains
• Contusions, abrasions, and lacerations

For the elderly, slip and fall accidents happen more often than for the rest of the population. Every year, one out of every four people over 65 years of age will fall, and each year about three million older adults are treated for fall-related injuries. Over 32,000 seniors die from falls each year.

Can you file an injury claim for a slip and fall?

If you have fallen on someone else’s property, and you fell because of negligence on their part to keep up their property in a safe manner, then that property owner is liable under the legal concept of premises liability. So long as you can prove their negligence, then you can receive compensation for damages such as:

• Medical bills and prescriptions
• Lost wages due to missed work
• Future lost wages due to a prolonged disability
• Physical pain and suffering
• Emotional trauma
• Diminished capacity to enjoy life

Life isn’t easy, and it’s always looking to throw us a curveball now and then. Sometimes we might just twist an ankle, but sometimes you find yourself with a brain injury or a broken hip. If you suffered injuries from a slip and fall accident, and you think you are owed compensation, then call the Las Vegas personal injury attorneys at Claggett & Sykes. You can reach us at 702-333-7777 or use our contact form to set up an appointment at one of our Las Vegas or Reno offices.