Slip and fall accidents, which are sometimes referred to as trip and fall accidents, are among the most common types of accidents seen in courtrooms and hospitals alike. While many people do not take slip and fall accidents seriously, the fact is that they can cause a lot more harm than they might appear. Here are five reasons why slip and fall accidents are more dangerous than you might think:
- Even minor falls can cause major injuries
- Because people slip and fall all the time without serious injury, many people get accustomed to thinking of these falls as minor accidents. However, even a minor fall can result in a serious injury, such as a sprain, bone fracture, or concussion. In some cases, these injuries can require hospitalization or rehabilitation, and in extreme cases, they may result in long-term health problems.
- They may not realize how badly injured they really are
- Not everyone realizes how badly hurt they are after a fall, especially if they are able to walk away and can function relatively normally. However, some injuries can remain hidden for hours, days, or even weeks after an accident, only becoming apparent later on. Traumatic brain injuries (TBIs) are particularly notorious for escaping medical attention until long after the accident that caused them, because of how hard they can be to detect.
- They may delay seeking medical treatment
- Due partly to people not taking falls seriously, and partly due to not realizing how badly they are injured, many people will delay seeking medical treatment for a fall. In some cases, it may take days or weeks for them to get proper medical care for their injuries. This increases the risk of complications, such as infections, which can impede the healing process or cause further medical problems. It can also make it harder to prove that a person’s injury was the result of their slip and fall.
- Slip and fall accidents disproportionately affect older people
- One big reason that slip and fall accidents are so dangerous is who is most likely to experience them. Elderly people are substantially more likely to slip or trip and fall than younger people, and when they take a fall, their injuries tend to be more severe. In addition, older people may have medical conditions that make treatment of falling injuries more difficult, or which may cause them to take longer to recover.
- Falls can leave behind long-lasting problems
- When people take a serious fall, they may be under the impression that they’ll be fine with a few days of rest and taking it easy. However, the effects of a slip-and-fall accident can last a long time, with some people suffering life-long consequences as a result of their injuries. That is why you should always speak to a personal injury lawyer after a serious fall, to help you get compensation for the harm you have suffered.
If you or a loved one have been injured due to someone else’s negligence, you should seek out the personal injury lawyers at Zlotolow & Associates. Our seasoned New York personal injury attorneys bring more than two decades of trial experience to your case. We serve all five boroughs of New York City, as well as Nassau and Suffolk County. Our aggressive personal injury attorneys always demand maximum compensation. We have helped thousands of clients recover through settlements and courtroom verdicts. To schedule a consultation, you can call us at 866-800-0092, or you can visit our contact page.
