Slips and falls are among the most prominent personal injury cases worldwide. While slips and falls can occur at work, at a retailer, and other premises that should have implemented measures to prevent such injuries from occurring, many slip and fall cases can result in severe injuries. While you should consult a specialized lawyer to help following a slip or fall with the legal proceedings of claiming compensation for your unfortunate experience, we have listed the more common severe injuries that occur from slips and falls.
Fractures
Not surprisingly, fractures are among the most common types of injuries that can occur from slips and falls. If you are casually walking on a floor that is unknowingly wet due to the lack of a warning sign, you could fall and fracture your leg, ankle, wrist, or arm as a result. Fractures require immediate medical attention as the bone needs to be placed in a cast to prevent poor healing of the bone.
Dislocated, Or Damaged Joints
Dislocating a shoulder or hip can be exceptionally painful, and neglecting medical attention can result in severe muscle and joint damage. While dislocated joints are common injuries in slip and fall cases, damaged joints are more severe and can cause life-long health problems such as reduced range of motion, ongoing pain, and even the early onset of arthritis.
Head Injuries
While fractures and dislocated or damaged joints are most common, head injuries such as traumatic brain injuries can occur in slip and fall cases. Suppose you hit your head when falling; you may have a concussion, a brain injury, or even a skull fracture. Head injuries are severe, and you should seek immediate medical attention if you have hit your head when falling, even if you feel you did not hit your head all that hard. Unfortunately, hitting your head at certain angles can cause severe damage even if the impact was not all that great.
Spinal Cord Injuries
Spinal cord injuries and back injuries are also quite common in slips and falls. Depending on how you fall, you could have injured your back in the process, and slipped disks, muscle damage, and other types of back injuries can be the result of your fall. Because spinal cord injuries can leave you paralyzed, you should opt for a complete medical checkup, especially if you suffer from existing back problems.
Because slips and falls can vary in severity depending on the exact details of the instance, you should always opt for an immediate medical assessment even if you feel you have not been seriously injured. What’s more, a medical evaluation will be crucial when claiming for a slip and fall injury in a personal injury lawsuit. Without medical records to prove your unfortunate experience, you won’t be able to claim from the responsible party. In addition to this, you should always opt for legal representation to ensure you are treated fairly and that you receive the proper compensation for all your damages.