slip and fall sign

One minute you’re browsing through a store, and the next–boom! 

You slipped.

You fell.

You need a lawyer. 

With Florida’s hurricane seasons and storms, wet floors are a constant hazard. That’s not to mention other trip hazards (like uneven flooring). You may see just a bruise or a bump but falling onto a hard floor or outdoors on concrete can do a lot more damage than you think.

Slip-and-fall accidents have numerous long-term consequences for your health and mobility. Hiring a personal injury attorney can help cover the costs of treating them.

Table of Contents

  1. ‘Slip and Fall’ Accidents Affect All Parts of the Body
  2. What Are The Most Common Slip And Fall Injuries?
  3. Personal Injury Lawyers Can Help

‘Slip and Fall’ Accidents Affect All Parts of the Body

You may think of falling as simply landing on your tail, but if you trip over a loose piece of flooring, for example, you could land on your face. Or you may break your fall with your hands and end up causing damage to your wrists, hands, or fingers.  Twisting as you fall can overstretch your ligament and tendons, causing permanent damage. 

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What Are The Most Common Slip And Fall Injuries?

Slip and fall accidents happen anywhere, anytime, and can be caused by:

  • Slipping on a wet floor
  • Tripping over loose flooring or carpeting
  • Falling due to unstable stairs, ramps, or surfaces
Let’s look closer at different types of fall injuries.

Broken or fractured bones

Broken bones are painful, and breaking one is scary, even if it’s just a hairline fracture. Healing from a broken bone is a long process and may involve surgeries afterward to repair the damage. Elderly people are especially vulnerable to broken bones and subsequent long-term mobility challenges. Sometimes broken bones aren't readily apparent after an accident, which is why it’s essential to seek medical attention right away. What you fracture depends on how you land when you fall. Broken wrists are fairly common, as many people try to break their falls with their hands. Your entire body’s weight suddenly falling on your wrists causes hairline fractures or breaks.  Broken legs and arms are not uncommon with trip-and-fall accidents. But hip fractures are often the most severe type of break, especially for older people. When the pelvis is broken or shattered, it can require surgery to reconstruct.  Even when surgery isn’t needed, a broken hip means months of immobility while it heals, affecting your ability to work and otherwise go about your daily life. Long-term reduction in mobility and even the ability to walk unassisted can leave you with a lifetime of complications.

Soft tissue injuries

Soft tissue injuries include injuries to the tendons, ligaments, and muscles. The twisting and jerking motions when you fall can stretch the ligaments and tendons in your body, overextending them beyond the reach they’re designed to have. A torn ligament or tendon is extremely painful and takes a long time to heal. Some, especially those around the knee, may need surgery to repair, and your ability to participate in some sports or physical activity is compromised.

Spinal cord injuries

Nerve damage to the neck, back, and spinal cord happens through direct trauma to those areas. Spinal injuries from a slip and fall accident include issues with the vertebrae, discs, and ligaments that protect the spinal cord. It can also include damage to the spinal cord itself. Spinal cord injuries are extremely serious, resulting in numbness and the inability to control motor functions in parts of the body below the injury. This can include losing the ability to walk, or worse.

Traumatic brain injury (TBI)

TBI sounds scary, and sometimes it can be. Hitting your head on a hard surface can result in mild to moderate concussions, or sometimes worse. People with a history of concussions from sports or other accidents may have serious side effects. Dizziness, headaches, and blurred vision are common side effects of brain injuries. Dull thoughts and memory problems are also symptoms of a traumatic brain injury. Sometimes, the individual cannot fully recover their mental faculties after a fall or could have problems with motor control, depending on which part of the brain was injured.

Personal Injury Lawyers Can Help

Wet Floor Sign

An experienced slip and fall lawyer can help you recover damages after an accident, to pay for your medical bills and any ongoing chiropractic care or physical therapy. If you miss time from work recovering from a broken bone, bad sprain, or concussion, you may be entitled to compensation for lost wages, too. Right after you fall, your body is full of fear, nervousness, pain, and even adrenaline. Because of the myriad injuries a slip and fall causes and the potential for long-term consequences, always seek medical attention after a fall. Have You Been Injured After a Fall? Contact BK Law today for a free consultation if you have been injured in a slip and fall/trip and fall accident. We’ll talk about the injuries you have sustained, the impacts these injuries have had on your life, and how we can help you move forward with your case. Our firm has a history of success with a number of slip and fall cases and is here to assist with the insurance claims process, settlement negotiations, and will be ready to take your case to the Florida courts if necessary. We represent all clients on a contingent fee basis, meaning you pay no out-of-pocket fees or costs unless we successfully resolve your claim.  

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