A Slip-And-Fall Accident Can Be Deadly

People often think that a slip-and-fall accident is a minor incident. You probably just wind up with a bruised hip and a bruised ego. Maybe, they assume, you break a bone.

The reality, though, is that slip-and-fall incidents can be deadly. Per the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), 15,000 individuals who were older than 65 passed away after a fall in 2005 alone. And that’s just looking at the elderly. If those numbers held every year, that’s well over 150,000 people since 2005. Again, it also doesn’t take into account younger people, which would boost the numbers yet again.

Plus, the numbers were trending up. That same group saw only 7,700 fall-related deaths in 1995.

Even if you just look at falls that cause injuries, the statistics are staggering. Did you know that nothing brings about more workers’ compensation claims than slip-and-fall incidents? For those who are at least 55 years old, they’re the main way to get hurt on the job.

Flooring materials are often the culprit, according to the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC). They claim that about 2 million people fall and get hurt annually as a result of sub-standard floors and materials.

In total, some reports show that slip-and-fall incidents put more than 1 million people in the emergency room every year.

As you can see, the statistics paint a bleak picture. Slip-and-fall accidents must be taken seriously, as they can certainly have serious consequences. Those who are injured must make sure they know all of the legal rights that they have.

Source: NFSI, “Slip & Fall Quick Facts,” accessed Jan. 04, 2018