What Are The Most Common Long-Term Injuries From a Slip and Fall Accidents?

Slip and fall accidents are incredibly common, and often involve serious injuries. Many people are under the misconception that the injuries aren’t usually that severe and there isn’t much compensation that could be recovered, but this simply isn’t true.

Common Injuries

There are many injuries that can be suffered from a slip and fall, but the following are some of the most common ones:

• Traumatic Brain Injuries: If you hit your head during a slip and fall, you could easily end up with a traumatic brain injury. A traumatic brain injury can also occur if your head doesn’t hit the ground. This occurs if your brain receives a quick and hard jolt, causing significant harm. Many people don’t realize the severity of their injury, which can be problematic because they may not get the treatment they need. If you lose consciousness or become disoriented for less than thirty minutes, it’s likely that you will suffer from a mild traumatic brain injury. The symptoms of this include headaches, issues with memory and attention, slight changes in behavior, and mood swings.If the loss of consciousness or disorientation lasts for more than 30 minutes, it is considered a severe traumatic brain injury. Common symptoms include impaired emotions, problems with cognitive function, speech or language issues, and changes in behavior and mobility.
• Broken Bones and Fractures: Another common injury suffered during slip and falls is broken bones and fractures. This occurs from the impact with which the injured party hits the ground and how they land. Older individuals are typically more susceptible to receiving broken bones and fractures. Hip bones and tailbones are common breaks and fractures that occur during a slip and fall. While most broken bones and fractures heal, they can be problematic and cause lifelong issues.
• Spinal Cord Injuries: When you injure your vertebrae, ligaments, or discs that surround your spinal cord, or suffer damage to the spinal cord itself, the effects can be devastating. This is a fairly common occurrence with slip and falls. Severe spinal cord injuries can cause loss of feeling and the ability to control any motor function below the spinal cord injury. A less severe spinal cord injury can still affect motor function, but not as severely. Any level of spinal cord injury can lead to numbness, tingling, pain, and issues with mobility.
• Knee Damage: Injuries and damage to the knee also occur frequently in slip and fall injuries. This can be the cause of falling on the knee or twisting it as you are about to hit the ground. The kneecap could break, or ligaments and muscles can be injured. Common knee injuries include ACL tears and MCL tears. These injuries can take a significant time to recover, and the pain could be very long-lasting. Knee injuries will often require surgical intervention and long periods of physical therapy.
• Cuts and Bruises: Cuts and bruises are certainly less serious than the above listed injuries, but they are very common in slip and fall incidents.

If you were the victim of a slip and fall accident, it’s a good idea to consult a Los Angeles personal injury attorney as soon as possible. Contact us today for a free consultation.