If you were to believe what you see in popular media, you probably think of a slip-and-fall as nothing but an embarrassing incident. People falling from the same level has long been a source of visual comedic relief, but it isn’t so funny in the real world.
People who fall can suffer significant injuries that may require hospitalization or time off of work. What potentially serious injuries can someone suffer in a slip-and-fall?
A traumatic brain injury
Perhaps the worst possible injury if you fall in a public facility is a brain injury. If you hit your head when you fall, the swelling that results could cause long-term symptoms ranging from motor function issues to changes in your personality to memory loss. Brain injuries may require expensive medical care or could force you to retire at the peak of your career.
A broken bone
When you fall, it is natural to try to stop your fall. Unfortunately, you might break your arm by trying to stop yourself from hitting the ground. A broken bone could mean multiple weeks out of work and also thousands of dollars in medical care. Adults over the age of 55 are at elevated risk of suffering a broken bone when they fall.
A soft tissue injury
You don’t have to break a bone to hurt yourself while trying to stop a fault. You could just as easily suffer significant injury to your muscles or connective tissue. These injuries may limit your work functions and require muscle relaxants, pain relief or physical therapy.
You may not have symptoms for these injuries right away, which is why it is so important to report a fall before you leave the business where you get hurt. Understanding the impact of a slip-and-fall can help you hold a business responsible for the injuries you suffered.
