It may seem that slip and fall accidents are less dangerous than vehicle accidents, but they can cause significant injuries to a person and negatively impact their life forever. Depending on variables like age, weight, height, and more, the injuries they cause can vary to an extreme degree. Some people are lucky to come out of a slip and fall with only minor scrapes and bruises, while others may have fallen in the exact same way, and suffered immensely.
So what are some of the most common slip and fall injuries that can cause both short and long-term damage?
HERE IS A LIST OF THE TOP 4 INJURIES OF SLIP AND FALL VICTIMS:
1.) HEAD INJURIES
Our skulls are pretty durable and can protect your brain from a significant impact, but they are not indestructible, nor are they 100% capable of preventing brain injury. One of the most common head injuries after a slip and fall accident is a TBI, a traumatic brain injury, from the quick movement of the head. When this happens, your brain can hit the walls of your skull causing a concussion.
One of the most critical reasons why you should seek treatment immediately after a fall is that concussions generally do not show symptoms. There are many misconceptions out there about concussions, including the belief that if you have a concussion you will lose consciousness. Of course, this is possible, but many times you will experience no symptoms immediately after a concussion. If you feel you have had a concussion, you should seek treatment right away. Symptoms generally include tiredness, fatigue, confusion, coordination issues, headaches or migraines, nausea, vomiting, and more. Although there really isn’t an overall treatment for concussions, there are plenty of things a medical professional can do to help ease the symptoms and get you on the road to recovery.
2.) FRACTURED/BROKEN BONES
Another extremely common injury caused by slip and fall accidents is broken/fractured bones. A person’s inclination when falling is to catch themselves with their arms, legs, or any other means that make sense in the moment. Unfortunately, the act of trying to catch yourself during a fall can be detrimental. We wrote a blog post about how to fall to prevent injury, click HERE to read more about it.
Although this is one way that bone injuries can occur, sometimes there is nothing to prevent a bone break or fracture from happening. Depending on the way you fell, your age, weight, etc, you may not have the ability to prevent these injuries. This is unfortunate, but also a key reason why you should get medical treatment as soon as possible after a fall. Due to the shock of the moment, or how the bone was broken or fractured, you may not be aware that it is broken until later. During that time you can cause even more damage. One way to know if you should seek medical treatment is the severity of the fall. If you feel you hit the ground hard, or at a weird angle, you may want to seek treatment even if you do not feel any injuries.
3.) TWISTED/SPRAINED JOINTS
Many people mistake broken bones and sprained joints. A sprain is when a ligament is torn in a joint. They can be extremely painful, cause swelling, and take months or even years to fully heal. A common treatment method to hasten the healing process is to see a physical therapist. Physical therapy can help return the range of motion, strength, and stability. After a trained professional has done the proper exams and evaluation, they can really make a significant difference in healing times and quality.
How do you know if you have a sprained joint? There are some common signs including bruising, swelling, stiffness, inability to bear weight and pain. Many times you can treat a sprain at home, but it may be a good idea to have a medical professional take a look to make sure you know that your injury will be handled correctly.
4.) SOFT TISSUE INJURIES
Soft tissue injuries are injuries that damage muscles, ligaments, and tendons. Sprained joints are an example of a soft tissue injury, but one type of soft tissue injury can make another worse. This is another injury that you may not feel right away. Due to shock and adrenaline, your body may dull or completely ignore any pain sensation until you are home resting, or possibly within one or two days of the injury. The best way to prioritize your health is to pay attention to how you feel within the first couple of weeks of a slip or fall. If you begin to feel any unusual pain or sensation, be sure to see your doctor. Writing down how a slip or fall happened may be beneficial to your medical provider as well. For example, if you fell and landed on your tail bone, and are feeling leg pain, your doctor will have a better understanding of where that pain is coming from and can be more thorough with examination and treatment.
These are just a few of the most common injuries suffered by slip and fall victims. Unfortunately, there are many other injuries that these victims suffer. Depending on the severity of these injuries, medical bills can become completely unmanageable. If you fell due to the negligence of someone else, you shouldn’t have to shoulder the responsibility of the bills. These cases can be difficult to prove, but with diligence and attention to detail, we have had countless successful slip and fall cases reach a settlement. As always, your health is most important!
