Venturing out into the world daily is something we all do. Whether going to work or to the grocery store, you should always be aware of what’s going on around you. However, some people get comfortable and complacent as time goes by, which can lead to them having an accident. With nearly 8 million emergency room visits being made each year due to slips and fall injuries, you have to be aware of the dangers these types of accidents pose.
One of the first things you need to do when involved in this type of accident is to contact a legal professional such as our Orlando personal injury law firm. Going in for a consultation with a lawyer is essential when trying to figure out what type of rights you have and whether or not your case is worth pursuing.
Here are some surprising slip and fall facts, according to the non-profit National Floor Safety institute:
• Fall fatalities are nearly equally divided between men and women. However, more women will experience a slip-and-fall accident. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, falls accounted for 5% of the job-related fatalities for women compared to 11% for men.
• Falls account for over 8 million hospital emergency room visits, representing the leading cause of visits (21.3%). Slips and falls account for over 1 million visits, or 12% of total falls.
• Fractures are the most serious consequences of falls and occur in 5% of all people who fall.
• Slips and falls do not constitute a primary cause of fatal occupational injuries, but represent the primary cause of lost days from work.
• Slips and falls are the leading cause of workers’ compensation claims and are the leading cause of occupational injury for people aged 55 years and older.
• According to the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), floors and flooring materials contribute directly to more than 2 million fall injuries each year.
• Half of all accidental deaths in the home are caused by a fall. Most fall injuries in the home happen at ground level, not from an elevation.
• Of all fractures from falls, hip fractures are the most serious and lead to the greatest health problems and number of deaths. The following statistics describe the slip-and-fall crisis affecting our nation’s elderly.
• Each year in the United States, one of every three persons over the age of 65 will experience a fall. Half of which are repeat fallers.
• According to the CDC In 2005, more than 15,000 people over the age of 65 died as a result of a fall. Up from 7,700 a decade earlier.
• The CDC also reports that approximately 1.8 million people over the age of 65 were treated in an emergency room as a result of a fall.
• For people aged 65-84 years, falls are the second leading cause of injury-related death; for those aged 85 years or older, falls are the leading cause of injury-related death.
• Incidence of falls goes up with each decade of life.
• Of all deaths associated with falls, 60% involve people aged 75 years or older.
• Falls account for 87% of all fractures among people over the age of 65 and are the second leading cause of spinal cord and brain injury.
• Half of all elderly adults (over the age of 65) hospitalized for hip fractures cannot return home or live independently after the fracture.
• Falls represent 40% of all nursing home admissions and are the sixth leading cause of death among people aged 70 years or older.
• Over 60% of nursing homes residents will fall each year.
• According to The National Institute on Aging, every year 30% of people over the age of 65 will sustain a fall, of which 10% will result in a serious injury.
• 67% of fall fatalities are among people aged 75 years or older.
• People over the age of 85 are 10-15 times more likely to experience a hip fracture than are people aged 60-65 years.
• 85% of worker’s compensation claims are attributed to employees slipping on slick floors (Industrial Safety & Occupational Health Markets 5th edition)
• 22% of slip/fall incidents resulted in more than 31 days away from work (US Bureau of Labor Statistics (2002).
• Compensation & medical costs associated with employee slip/fall accidents is approximately $70 billion annually (National Safety Council Injury Facts 2003 edition).
• Occupational fatalities due to falls are approximately 600 per year down from 1200 during since the 1970s.
• Total injuries due to falls estimated at $13-14 million per year in U.S. Falls are the number one cause of accidental injury, resulting in 20.8 percent of all emergency room visits in 1995. (Motor vehicle accidents accounted for 11.9 percent of ER visits.)
• Disabling (temporary and permanent) occupational injuries due to falls are approximately $250,000-$300,000 per year.
• Falls occur in virtually all manufacturing and service sectors. Fatal falls however are in construction, mining and certain maintenance activities.
• According to Workers Compensation statistics from ITT-Hartford Insurance Company, falls account for 16% of all claims and 26% of all costs. This compares to 33% of costs associated with sprains and strains.
• According to the American Trucking Association, slips and falls are the leading cause of compensable injury in the trucking industry.
• Falls from elevation (approximately 40% of compensable fall cases, approximately 10% of occupational fatalities).
• Falls on the same level (approximately 60% of compensable fall cases).
Our Orlando personal injury law firm has complied some of the most common causes of these types slip and fall accidents.
Wet and Uneven Surfaces Can Be Dangerous
As noted above, the National Floor Safety Institute says that nearly 55% of all slip and fall accidents are caused by unstable walking surfaces. There are a variety of things that can make these surfaces unsafe such as:
Clutter on the floor
Loose boards in the flooring
Defects on a sidewalk
Potholes in parking lot
Torn carpeting
Floors that have been recently mopped or waxed
Keeping your eyes open for these types of hazards can save you a lot of grief. If you see these hazards, you need to report them immediately to reduce the chance that another person gets hurt.
Mother Nature Can Create Hazardous Environments
Another very common cause of slip and fall accidents is adverse weather conditions. A sidewalk or street may be in great shape, but with a fresh coat of ice or water, it can become a big hazard. When trying to prevent injuries caused by icy roads and sidewalks, business owners can use salt to melt the ice quickly. If you have fallen as a result of icy sidewalks in front of a business, then you may be able to get compensation for the injuries you have sustained.
The only way to find out what your rights are is by going in for a consultation with a lawyer who is familiar with slip and fall accidents. With years of experience, our Orlando personal injury law firm can determine if your case is worth pursuing. We will be able to help you build a case and get the compensation you are owed.
Improper Employee Training
In many industrialized workplaces, there are a number of catwalks and walkways that employees must use. If the business owner fails to adequately train their employees, they will be putting them at risk of slip and fall injuries. With a bit of training, employees will be able to find out how to approach the walkways in their work area safely.
Dealing With Slip and Fall Injuries? Call The Badgley Law Group
Instead of suffering in silence following a slip and fall accident, you need to take action. Contact our Orlando personal injury law firm, The Badgley Law Group now at 407-531-8796 to schedule a consultation.