Slip and fall accidents are occurring at an alarming rate, and could happen in a place of business, in public transportation, or on the sidewalk in a public park. Although the circumstances of each slip and fall case might be unique, they do share some common threads that make them all similar. Slip and fall lawsuits are some of the highest settled cases brought before the courts, especially if the personal injury attorney can show negligence on the part of the other party.
These are 4 facts to know about slip and fall lawsuits that may surprise you.
1. The Numbers Don’t Lie
According to reports provided by the Bureau of Labor Statistics, even though more women will be involved in slip and fall accidents, fatalities between men and women in these instances are equal. There were 11 percent of men killed on the job due to slip and fall accidents while only 5 percent of women died. Regardless where the slip and fall accident took place, there will be over 8 million visits by victims to the emergency room this year. That number represents 22 percent of the total visits to the emergency room, clearly the number one reason people are being rushed to the hospital.
With 8 million people suffering injuries and being rushed to the hospital, it stands to reason that these are the most tried cases in the courts around the country today. Whether it is a fracture, broken bones, or severe brain damage, the slip and fall accident is taken very serious by the courts.
2. Losing Time From Work
One of the reasons that many businesses are suffering because of slip and fall accidents might surprise you. While these companies may have to foot the bill for the injury or settle a lawsuit, the biggest issue for these businesses is that these employees are missing work. The primary cause of lost days from work around the country is from slip and fall accidents.
To add insult to injury, the costs keep rising for the business owner. The slip and fall accident is also the leading cause of all workman compensation claims. The numbers continue to show that workers over the age of 55 that suffer slip and fall accidents account for the top cause in occupations injuries. The Consumer Product Safety Commission states flooring materials contribute to more than 2 million of those fall injuries every year.
3. Trouble on the Home Front
Not to be outdone by the enormous amount of slip and fall injuries that occur at the workplace, homeowners are also contributing to the huge rise in accidents of these sorts. Half of the deaths that occur in the home can be attributed to a fall. These accidents occur at ground level, not from elevation like you might think.
The slip and fall in the home can also result in a lawsuit if it occurred on faulty equipment or something else that contributed to the fall.
4. The Elderly and Slip and Falls
The slip and fall accidents have reached crisis levels with the elderly. These folks are at risk of slipping just about anywhere, and the injuries can often be life-threatening. One in every three elderly people in the United States will experience a fall of some sorts this year. The CDC reports that last decade 15,000 elderly died from these falls, nearly double from the decade before. The reason that these slip and fall lawsuits are becoming more common in the courts with the elderly is because the risk of a fall will increase with each decade of life.
When the age reaches 75 or more, 60 percent of those who fall will lose their life as a result. Over 87 percent of all the fractures that people over 65 years old receive is a direct result of a slip and fall.
Slip and fall accidents are common in the courts these days because they can occur just about anywhere. It is always advised that anyone who has been injured in these type situations speak with a skilled personal injury lawyer as quickly as possible to see if there are grounds for a lawsuit.
