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Elderly Slip-and-Fall Accidents
The elderly are particularly vulnerable to suffering serious injury from falling accidents. If your loved one has suffered a serious or even fatal injury from a falling accident in Missouri, you would be well advised to discuss your legal options with a skilled premises liability attorney.
Elderly Fall Statistics
The following falling statistics for adults aged 65 and older were compiled by the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC):
- Falling accidents are the most common cause of non-fatal injuries for the elderly.
- Falls are also the leading cause of injury deaths among seniors.
- More than 18,000 elderly people died from falling accidents in the year 2007.
- In the year 2009, 2.2 million non-fatal falling injuries occurred as a result of which more than 581,000 elderly victims were hospitalized.
- One out of every three elderly adults suffer a fall each year.
- 81 percent of all fatal fall accidents that occurred in the year 2007 involved a person 65 years of age or older.
Injuries Resulting from
Slip-and-Fall Accidents
Moderate to severe falling accident injuries include lacerations, wrist and hip fractures and head trauma. The Academic Emergency Medicine reported that traumatic brain injuries accounted for almost half of all fatal fall injuries suffered in the year 2000. A report by the Rheumatic Diseases Clinics of North America found that the most common bones that are fractured in a slip-and-fall or trip-and-fall incident are the spine, hip, leg, ankle, forearm, pelvis, upper arm and hand. Even victims who do not suffer a physical injury may be traumatized from the experience and develop a fear of falling.
Slip-and-Fall Accident Prevention
in the Home
Here are a few important tips to help prevent slip-and-fall accidents at home:
- Staying healthy by eating right and exercising is the best way to prevent a falling accident.
- Elderly patients who are taking medications would be well advised to discuss with their doctor if any of their pills cause drowsiness or dizziness.
- Walkways and hallways should be kept clear of debris.
- Grab bars and railings should be installed on staircases, doorways, bathrooms and anywhere else where walking may be difficult.
- It is in the best interest of the elderly to consume adequate amounts of calcium and vitamin D and to receive screenings for osteoporosis.
Nursing Home Slip-and-Fall Accidents
Nursing care facilities are obligated to provide reasonably safe living conditions and to do their best to prevent falling accidents. Railings must be provided in the hallways. Patients who have difficulty walking must be provided supervision and assistance. Walkways must be kept clear and sidewalks and staircases must be properly maintained.
Rights of Injured Victims
Depending on the circumstances of the falling accident, compensation may be available for the victim or the victim's family. Losses such as medical bills, hospitalization, surgery and rehabilitation may be covered through a premises liability claim if negligence played a part in the accident. The experienced St. Louis elderly slip-and-fall attorneys at Page Law handle all types of slip-and-fall accident cases throughout Missouri. If your loved one has been injured as the result of someone else's negligence, please contact our law offices for a free and comprehensive consultation today at (314) 322-8515.
Missouri Premises Liability
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