Common Injuries Sustained in a Slip & Fall Accident

Being involved in a slip and fall accident can leave you with serious injuries. These injuries can often prevent victims from working and providing for their families. Understanding these injuries can help determine if you are entitled to financial compensation. At Harris & Harris Injury Lawyers, our Las Vegas slip and fall attorneys have an established record of success in recovering compensation for injuries caused by slip & fall accidents.

What Are The Common Injuries in Slip & Fall Cases?

Head Injuries

If you fall and hit your head and it results in a minor head injury, it is a medical emergency. If there is swelling, bleeding or even momentarily loss of consciousness, you need urgent medical care.

Minor concussions are not normally life-threatening, but if left untreated, they can permanently alter your ability to function, resulting in long-term complications.

Here are the most common head injuries caused by slip and fall accidents:

  • Skull fractures – break of the cranial bone
  • Traumatic brain injuries – a disruption in the normal function of the brain
  • Loss of consciousness – loss of cognitive functions, poor motor coordination, confusion, impaired judgement
  • Amnesia – short or long term memory loss
  • Hematoma – a blood clot that presses on brain tissue that may lead to lost brain function
  • Closed head injury – the skull is left intact but the brain is impacted. This can lead to headaches, dizziness, nausea, vomiting, slurred speech, and in most severe cases seizures or convulsions.

Neck & Back Injuries

Neck and back injuries may result from a fall down the stairs. These injuries  could also be a sign of a spinal cord injury. In fact, slip and fall accidents are one of the leading causes of spinal cord injuries, second only to vehicular accidents.

The spinal cord is the foundation of the body’s nervous system and it doesn’t take a lot of impact to cause long-term issues. If the spinal cord is severed or compressed, it is one of the most expensive parts of the body to treat and, the closer the damage is to the brain, the more severe it tends to be.

These are the most severe damages caused by a spinal cord injury:

  • Paraplegia: paralysis of the lower half of the body
  • Quadriplegia: paralysis of the arms and legs

Any injury sustained in a slip and fall accident, whether it is  a ruptured disc, dislocated shoulder or lower back pain, can put someone out of commission  for a month or longer. Any of these injuries can result in not only an inability to perform their duties at work, but can also hinder their lifestyle. Our personal injury attorneys will fight for compensation for everything you deserve.  If your injury has changed the way you live your life, you deserve to be compensated for it.

Limb Fractures

Slip and fall injuries often result in broken bones, bone displacement and ligament damage.  These injuries can lead to mobility issues if they are not taken care of properly.

Hip Fractures

Slip and fall accidents can often result in serious injuries such as hip fractures, which are especially common in older victims. People suffering from a hip fracture commonly experience abnormality while walking, bruising, swelling, or visible deformity of lower extremity. It usually requires surgery and hospitalization, followed by a lengthy rehabilitation.

Shoulder Injuries

Shoulder injuries can vary, from a simple dislocation to a brachial plexus injury where the nerve root can tear from the spinal cord. These harrowing injuries usually require surgery, followed by physical therapy and rehabilitation.

Sprains and Fractures

Slipping and falling can cause broken  bones as well as ligament damage (sprain) in the  knees and ankles. The most common fractures and sprains suffered in falls are fractures in the  hip, spine, forearm, leg, ankle, pelvis, upper arms and hands.

Slip and fall accidents can also lead to limb fractures which can be very serious.  These injuries also lead to the inability to perform daily activities and the potential for compensation is similar. If the victim’s job depends on physical tasks, a sprain or a fracture may make it impossible to do. More so, if the injury took place at the victim’s workplace, workers’ compensation may be claimed.

Recoverable benefits in a Workman’s Compensation claim:

  • Income benefits – to compensate lost wages incurred as a result of the injury
  • Medical expenses – Hospital expenses, physical therapy, etc.

While these are common injuries to sustain by a slip and fall accident, they still have the ability to impact on your livelihood. If you were unjustly injured, you should have a consultation with an attorney to see what you can be compensated for.

What Damages Can I Recover?

Speak to an attorney now to make sure you’re not underestimating your injury. At Harris & Harris personal injury law firm, we can get you financial compensation for elements such as:

  • Care in the home
  • Rehabilitative care
  • Medical expenses
  • Lost wages
  • Medical bills
  • Future medical expenses
  • Physical therapy
  • Occupational therapy
  • Pain and suffering
  • Lost earning capacity
  • Occupational therapy
  • Assisted living care
  • Loss of enjoyment of life

Seeking Legal Help in Las Vegas, Nevada

If you would like to discuss a slip and fall injury claim with a member of our firm, please contact our office at (702) 384-1414. Remember, our consultations are always free and confidential! Don’t hesitate to pick up the phone or contact us online and start your claim process now.