Slip and Fall Accidents Pose a Serious Risk for Older Americans

 Posted on December 15, 2016 in Personal Injury

A slip and fall can happen to almost anyone, almost anywhere, especially during the winter months. Yet, there are some Americans who are at a higher risk of serious injury than others. Of particular concern are those who are over the age of 65. Even more concerning for this at-risk group is the fact that they are also more likely to suffer a slip and fall injury. Learn more about this risk, and what you can do if you or someone you love has suffered a slip and fall injury in Illinois.

Slip and Fall Injuries and Deaths More Common Among Older Americans

Information from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) indicates more than 2.8 million older Americans experience a slip and fall each year. More than 27,000 of those falls resulted in death. Many others (one in five) resulted in serious injury, such as broken bones, facial fractures, and traumatic brain injury. Further, more than 800,000 older Americans are hospitalized due to head injuries, hip fractures, spinal cord injuries, and other serious slip and fall injuries.

Part of the reason that older Americans are at greater risk has to do with their age. Bone strength and density often decline at later stages of life. Further, they may be less balanced, or they may be more likely to suffer from conditions that lead to poor balance (i.e. vertigo). When all of this is taken into account, the takeaway message is clear: everyone needs to be more mindful when it comes to preventing slip and fall injuries. Sadly, not every establishment will do so.

Slip and Falls in Nursing Homes, Stores, Hospitals, and Other Locales

Many slip and fall injuries occur inside of nursing homes—about 60 percent of all residents will experience a fall each year. This may be due to a number of oversights within the nursing home itself such as failing to ensure a resident has the proper safety equipment and not immediately cleaning up spills. Yet, not all slip and falls of older Americans happen inside of nursing homes. Businesses and other establishments are often the site of a fall. This can be due to a lack of handrails on a staircase, wet or slippery floors, broken sidewalks, icy parking lots, and more.

When a Slip and Fall Leads to Serious Injury

While not all slip and falls will lead to injury, those that do can result in serious consequences. Those who fall may experience expensive medical bills that are not fully covered by their insurance. They may spend several months in severe pain, or they may lose some of their functionality. In other instances, the loss of functionality and mobility are significant and lifelong. Further, they may become inherently afraid of falling again, simply because the experience was frightening.

At Kinnally Flaherty Krentz Loran Hodge & Masur, P.C., we fight aggressively to protect the rights of victims, including their right to seek compensation for any losses or trauma they may have experienced. Skilled and experienced, we can represent you or your loved one in a slip and fall injury case. Call 630-907-0909 and schedule your consultation with our Kane County personal injury attorneys today to learn more.

Sources:

http://www.cdc.gov/homeandrecreationalsafety/falls/adultfalls.html

http://www.cdc.gov/media/releases/2016/p0922-older-adult-falls.html

https://nfsi.org/nfsi-research/quick-facts/