Newstricky| When you think of a slip and fall accident, you might imagine some falling off a ladder, scaffold, or tree. While falls from a height are serious and potentially fatal, slips and falls can also relate to slipping on a wet floor or tripping over a loose box.
You don’t need to fall from a height to experience a serious injury, as falling from a roof can be as dangerous as tripping over an electrical cord. However, here are four common injuries caused by slips and falls.
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Head Injuries
According to the CDC, 1 out of 5 falls cause a serious injury, such as a head injury. Therefore, if you hit your head during a slip or fall, you must seek immediate medical care, even if your head injury seems minor. Don’t delay, especially if your head bleeds, swells, or you lose consciousness briefly.
While you might have a minor concussion, it is also possible you may have sustained a traumatic brain injury that can alter your function. In many cases, serious head injuries will have minimal symptoms initially, which is why you shouldn’t hesitate to visit a healthcare practitioner for an exam. Also, seeking medical attention after an accident can help a personal injury attorney build a strong compensation case against a company or individual.
Soft Tissue Injuries
Soft tissue injuries are easy to miss after a slip or fall accident, as you might only identify you have sustained an injury a few days or weeks later. Common soft tissue injuries include:
- Wrist sprains
- Ankle sprains
- Tendon or ligament tears
Soft tissue injuries cannot only be painful, but they may lead to chronic pain, which will make you more susceptible to additional injuries throughout your life. For this reason, you must seek medical care right away, as a doctor can spot the issue when you can’t feel any symptoms. In addition, it will ensure you receive the correct treatment as soon as possible and will support a lawsuit.
Cuts and Abrasions
Despite looking severe, cuts and abrasions are often less serious than other types of slip and fall injuries. Abrasions on the legs and arms are common, as are wounds to the hips and head. Fortunately, these types of injuries often require superficial treatment and maybe stitches. However, if you fall from a height, your cuts and abrasions might be accompanied by more serious injuries, such as broken bones or a concussion.
Spinal Cord Injuries
Spinal cord injuries are one of the most life-threatening injuries you can sustain in a slip and fall accident, as well as one of the costliest. It is believed people who experience a spinal cord injury will need to pay up to a million dollars in medical care within the first year. In addition, the higher up the spinal cord, the more extensive the damage will be. Those who sustain a high cervical spinal cord injury may experience paralysis, and lower injuries may result in paraplegia or milder symptoms.
Also read: How To Find A Personal Injury Attorney
Common Ways You Can Prevent Slips & Falls
Create Good Practices
Good housekeeping is one of the key methods to have a safe life. If your house is not maintained properly, chances are anyone can slip and fall. The facilities have to be well organized & neat. If that’s not the case, make sure you report to the responsible authorities of the organization who can help you out. Some of the common things you can do to start a useful housekeeping routine.
- Know what kind of areas you would like to work on.
- Assign the right group of people with responsibilities so that the cleaning can begin on time.
- Start a program so that these daily cleanings become a part of usual responsibilities.
Wear The Right Set Of Shoes
Wearing comfortable and good-quality shows can also prevent falls. The kind of heels and soles you wear has to be evaluated if you want to avoid falls, trips, and slips. Also, make sure you tie the shoelaces correctly. If you experience falls/slips often, make sure that you analyze your footwear so that you can contribute to these incidents. You could also avoid slippy areas and be more careful and keep an eye on the ground when you are walking. That should also be able to help you.
Maintain Good Lighting
Having the right lighting is also important if you want to reduce the number of accidents. Some of the common ways you can do this include:
- Illuminate your staircases, hallways, basements, ramps.
- Keep the work areas clean and lit.
- Turn on the lights in a dark room.
- Keep all areas around you accessible and clear.
- Repair switches, cords & fixtures if it begins to malfunction.
Sometimes people are prone to slips and falls due to lack of exercise. The best way to avoid this is by improving your balance and strength, boosting coordination, enabling all to feel better.
