What Type of Injuries Can Result From a Slip and Fall Accident?

One of the most common types of accidents in the U.S. each year is the slip and fall accident. According to the National Floor Safety Institute, slip and falls account for over one million visits to the emergency room annually. Slip and fall accidents can cause serious and even fatal injuries. Learn more about the most common types of injuries suffered in slip and fall accidents to better understand your legal rights as a victim in Kansas City.

Soft-Tissue Injuries

Many injuries from slip and fall accidents are not visible. They affect the soft tissues of the body, such as the muscles, tendons and ligaments. Soft-tissue injuries can be painful and debilitating. Although they may not show up on an x-ray, they are very real for the victim. Common soft-tissue injuries suffered in slip and fall accidents include:

• Pulled and strained muscles
• Sprained wrist or ankle
• Knee and ligament damage
• Dislocated shoulder
• Bruises and contusions

It may take a few hours or even days for a victim to notice pain, swelling or a loss of mobility from a soft-tissue injury. This is why even if you do not notice immediate symptoms after a slip and fall accident, you should see a doctor after a fall. Prompt treatment can help prevent soft-tissue injuries from causing chronic pain and disability.

Cuts and Lacerations

Many victims have a few cuts, scrapes or deeper lacerations after slip and fall accidents. Striking parts of the body on sharp objects on the way down can cause the skin to split and require medical care ranging from antibiotic ointments to stitches. Lacerations come with a risk of infection and permanent scarring for the victim. Cuts, scrapes and bruising can also be signs of a deeper injury beneath the surface, such as a broken bone.

Fractured Hip

Broken bones are a common outcome of slip and fall accidents, occurring in five percent of all victims who fall. Many victims try to catch themselves using their hands, wrists or elbows, risking broken bones upon impact. Other victims fall in ways that fracture or shatter their hip bones. Hip fractures are the most serious of all fractures related to slip and fall accidents. They cause the highest number of deaths, especially among the elderly. A hip fracture could be fatal for a victim if it leads to related health complications, such as a pulmonary embolism or serious infection.

Head Injuries

Slip and fall accidents can lead to head injuries, skull fractures and traumatic brain injuries if the victim strikes his or her head on an object on the way down, or if the head hits the floor. Traumatic brain injuries can have lasting and life-changing symptoms, such as cognitive difficulties, trouble communicating and motor function disability. It is not always possible for a victim to make a full recovery from a brain injury after a slip and fall accident.

Back and Spine Injuries

Another potential type of catastrophic or permanent injury in a slip and fall case is a spinal cord injury. If the back or spine suffers a severe injury in a fall accident, the communication system between the brain and the body can be permanently interrupted, causing irreversible paralysis. Even more minor back injuries from a slip and fall accident, such as a slipped or herniated disk, can be temporarily debilitating and cause significant pain.

Consult With a Slip and Fall Attorney

If you have any type of injury from a slip and fall accident, contact a Kansas City slip and fall accident attorney for a free consultation about your legal options. You may have grounds to bring a premises liability claim against the owner of the property, a landlord or another party. This type of case could end in financial compensation for your medical bills and other losses. Speak to an attorney today at the Wendt Law Firm P.C. for more information.