You may be feeling pain or experiencing other symptoms that have you worried, but could a slip and fall really result in significant injuries?
The answer is yes, and if you have any pain or any other symptom that you did not have prior to the fall then you should see a doctor as soon as possible. A doctor can make a diagnosis and create a treatment plan that helps prevent your injury from worsening, that manages your pain, and that helps you heal to the maximum extent possible.
11 Injuries to Watch For After a Fall
A slip or trip can cause you to fall and suffer one or more of these events:
- Brain or head injury. Cognitive problems, headaches, memory loss, depression, and changes in behavior can all result from brain injuries. In some cases these changes may be permanent.
- Spinal cord injury. The damage done by a spinal cord injury can also be permanent. Complete spinal cord injuries are currently irreversible and result in paralysis below the point of the injury. The impact of incomplete spinal cord injuries depends on the part of the spinal cord that was hurt.
- Broken hip bone. A broken hip bone can be dangerous, particularly for elderly people. It can limit mobility and require extensive medial and rehabilitation treatment.
- Broken tailbone. A broken tailbone, or coccyx, can be extremely painful and impact your ability to work and to do things that you enjoy.
- Broken arm, elbow, or wrist. Your abilities to drive, write, work, and take care of yourself can be limited by one of these broken bones. Surgery and rehabilitation therapy may be necessary.
- Broken leg, knee, or ankle. Surgery and rehabilitation therapy may also be necessary to treat a broken leg, knee, or ankle. Any of these injuries can limit your mobility, your ability to work, and your ability to care for yourself independently.
- A different type of broken bone. While the bones described above are often broken in a fall, any bone in the body can be broken, can be painful, and can interfere with your daily activities after a fall.
- Dislocated shoulder. Immobilization, medication, and surgery may be needed to treat this painful injury and prevent permanent consequences.
- Eye injury. Eye injuries are most commonly caused by falls. The consequences of an eye injury can range from mild and temporary pain to permanent blindness.
- Facial or dental injury. Facial and dental injuries can result in permanent deformities and may require extensive medical or dental work.
- Fatal injury. Some falls can result in fatalities—particularly after an internal organ is damaged or after a brain or spinal cord injury.
Any of these injuries can change your life in a profound way.
Take Action to Protect Your Future
If you have been hurt or your loved one has died in a fall accident, then you need to take action to protect your recovery.
In order to recover damages for any of these injuries you will need to prove that:
- The property owner owed you a duty of care. If you were lawfully on the property then the property owner likely owed you a duty of care.
- The property owner breached the duty of care by failing to fix or warn you about a dangerous condition that the owner knew about or should have known about.
- Your injury was caused by the fall.
- You have a legal right to pursue damages for the fall injury.
If you are able to prove these elements of your case then you may be able to recover damages for your past, current, and future:
- Medical expenses.
- Lost income.
- Pain and suffering.
- Out-of-pocket costs.
- Other damages.
These damages are important to your recovery and to your future. Think about the difference that they can make if you are out of work, if your medical bills are significant, if you are permanently disabled, or if your loved one has died and then call our experienced and empathetic attorneys who are committed to helping you get the recovery you deserve. We are here for you 24 hours a day, every day, so please call us at 1-800-800-5678 to schedule your free consultation.