Never does a person leave his or her home expecting to experience a fall. Yet, many people are injured from falling each year. In fact, according to one source, more than 8 million people visit a hospital emergency room for injuries related to a fall annually. Sadly, in most cases, it is discovered that the cause of the fall could have been prevented if someone had been more responsible.
If you suffered injuries from a fall on another person’s property, you may be entitled to seek compensation for damages. This is vital since you may be dealing with costly medical expenses from injuries related to the fall, in addition to missing days of work due to being injured. You should not have to pay for someone else’s negligence.
Get legal advice today from the personal injury lawyers of Kiley Law Group if you suffered injuries from a fall on someone else’s property. Our lawyers can help you get compensation for damages. We have successfully won over $1 billion for damages for our clients. Contact Kiley Law Group, LLC, today at (888) 435-1321 for a free consultation. We collect no fees until you get paid!
The Most Common Causes of Falls
Quite often the cause of a fall accident is negligence on the part of the property owner. If a hazardous surface had been properly tended to, or a warning had been given to alert a passerby, the fall might not have occurred.
Some common causes of falls are:
- Wet surfaces: A recently mopped wet floor or an unattended spill can cause a person to slip and fall. This is very common in grocery stores and shopping malls.
- Icy/snowy surfaces: A snowstorm can leave an accumulation of snow and ice on walkways. If it’s not promptly cleared, a fall accident may occur.
- Uneven surfaces: Damaged tiles, torn or ripped carpets, and loose mats are types of indoor uneven surfaces. Outdoor uneven surfaces include potholes and broken sidewalks.
- Poorly maintained steps and handrails: Missing or broken steps or handrails can cause a person to lose his or her balance and fall. Therefore, it is imperative to repair faulty steps and handrails without delay.
- Poorly placed electrical cords: Electrical cords left in walkways create a tripping hazard. This is a common cause for falls on construction sites.
- Poor lighting: If a premises does not have sufficient lighting, potential tripping hazards cannot be seen by passerby. This can be a common problem in places such as stairwells and parking lots.
This list clearly shows that potential hazards on a property, such as the ones shown here, can be tended to by property owners. Or, at the very least, a property owner can give a warning to alert visitors of the potential danger.
Common Types of Injuries From Falls
Although a fall occurs quickly and unexpectedly, victims are often left with injuries ranging from mild to life-changing. Some injuries may initially appear to be minor, only to worsen over time and become serious. The following are some of the most common injuries of fall accidents.
Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI)
It has been reported that a traumatic brain injury occurs every 16 seconds. Of these, 35 percent occur due to falls. Traumatic brain injuries include hemorrhage, hematoma, cerebral edema, contusions, and concussion.
Symptoms of a traumatic brain injury after a fall can include disorientation, dizziness, headache, difficulty speaking, and loss of balance. Since traumatic brain injuries can potentially be life-threatening, a victim displaying any of these symptoms would require immediate medical attention.
Spinal Cord Injuries (SCI)
A person’s spinal cord can suffer damage from a fall. Since the spinal cord is the means by which the brain controls the body, any spinal cord injury tends to be quite serious. There are two types of spinal cord injuries: incomplete and complete.
When the spinal cord is not severed, it’s considered to be an incomplete injury. A victim may be left suffering nerve damage, pain, and decreased mobility. A complete spinal injury is when the spinal cord is severed. A victim of a complete injury is usually left suffering paralysis.
Broken Bones
A fall can create so much force that a victim’s bones could break. Broken bone injuries can be a minor fracture or a complete break. A victim’s arm, elbow, wrist, ribs, leg, pelvis, hip, or ankle can suffer a fracture from a fall accident.
A broken bone can not only be very painful but may also require physical therapy and long-term treatment. Additionally, a broken bone takes weeks or months to heal. If a fracture punctures a vital organ, internal bleeding can result, which could be life-threatening.
Soft Tissue Injuries
A person may twist his or her body while falling in an effort to minimize the impact. This usually results in stretched tendons, sprains, or torn ligaments. Shoulder dislocation is a common type of soft tissue injury that usually results from a fall. In some cases, soft tissue injuries can be mild and treated at home. Quite often, though, these types of injuries tend to be very costly and have long recovery periods.
A fall accident can also result in a victim suffering damage to his or her knee. Injuries to the knee can range from minor to serious. Although some knee injuries may be treated with over-the-counter medicines, others may require surgery and physical therapy. Tears of the ACL, MCL, or PCL can drastically affect mobility.
Cuts and Abrasions
When a victim falls on a hard surface, he or she may suffer cuts and abrasions on the arms, legs, or face. Since these injuries are usually minor, they may only require stitches or bandaging and can heal rather quickly.
If a laceration is deep, there may be a risk of an internal infection. Swelling and feeling of warmth may be symptoms of an underlying infection, which would require medical attention. Sometimes, bruises could be an indication of a more serious internal injury.
Of course, this list is by no means comprehensive. There are other serious consequences and injuries that can occur from a fall, such as eye injuries. If your fall accident occurred outside of your home, you may be entitled to seek compensation for damages.
Types of Compensation You May Be Entitled to Receive
When a visitor, not a trespasser, is injured on another person’s property, or premises, due to some type of negligence on the part of the owner or manager, there are consequences. The owner of that property could be held liable for compensation even if he or she was not directly involved. This is known as premises liability, which is one category of personal injury law.
Premises liability law applies to all residences and businesses such as grocery stores, department stores, beauty salons, restaurants, airports, hotels, offices, and even parking lots and sidewalks. By law, if you or your loved one has suffered a fall on someone else’s premises in any of these locations, you may be entitled to seek compensation.
Our highly skilled personal injury lawyers can analyze the facts of your case and get you fair compensation for your damages and losses. This will give you peace of mind while you focus on healing.
You may be legally entitled to recover compensation for:
- Present and future medical bills
- Present and future lost wages
- Property damage
- Household renovation for disability
- Pain and suffering
- Emotional distress
- Loss of enjoyment of life
- Compensation for wrongful death
Get Your Case in Good Hands Before Time Runs Out
If you or your loved one has suffered a fall, contact the personal injury lawyers of Kiley Law Group, LLC, right away to speak with an experienced attorney. Even if you may believe your injury is not so serious, call us. Sometimes the effects of an injury might take months or years to become manifest – and by then it could be too late.
In Massachusetts, the statute of limitations for personal injury cases is only 3 years from the date of the incident. This is why it’s so important for you to get legal information from an attorney with our law firm as soon as possible.
It only makes sense that the person who caused your injury, or his or her insurance, should pay for your recovery. However, the responsible party’s insurance company is likely to resist paying you a fair amount. Insurance adjusters are very skilled in using tactics to minimize the amount of your claim and might later use your own words to try to dismiss your claim. So don’t make the mistake of speaking with an insurance adjuster before speaking with one of our attorneys!
If you were injured due to someone else’s negligence, you have a legal right to fair compensation for damages, and we want to help you get the maximum amount you are entitled to receive. This will take effort on your attorney’s part, but you can rest with peace of mind as we work hard on your behalf.
Contact Kiley Law Group today at (888) 435-1321 to schedule a free consultation. Remember, we charge no fees until and unless we win your case.
