More Than Just a Bruise: Understanding the Hidden Costs of Slip and Fall Injuries

More Than Just a Bruise: Understanding the Hidden Costs of Slip and Fall Injuries

Often, when people think of a slip-and-fall accident, they picture a brief moment of embarrassment or a minor bruise. However, if you have been involved in a bad slip-and-fall, you know the reality can be far more severe. Slip-and-fall accidents can leave victims coping with serious physical and emotional injuries.

While many people focus on the immediate pain and medical bills associated with the injury, the hidden costs can be just as significant. As personal injury lawyers, we have seen firsthand how much slip-and-fall accidents can disrupt individuals’ lives.

Understanding the hidden costs of slip-and-fall accidents can help victims and their families feel prepared in seeking compensation.

A Slip-and-Fall Accident Can Result in Severe Injuries

Slip-and-fall accidents are often dismissed as minor incidents. However, for some victims, a slip-and-fall can lead to severe injuries that alter the course of their lives.

Let’s discuss a few slip-and-fall injuries and the impact these injuries can have on a person’s life.

Broken bones

When a person falls suddenly, the force of the impact can cause broken bones. These fractures can vary in severity from simple cracks to complex breaks requiring surgery.

The following are some common types of broken bones resulting from slip-and-fall accidents:

• Wrist fractures: Often, people instinctively reach out their hands to break a fall. This can lead to wrist fractures
• Shoulder and arm fractures: Impact from a fall can result in broken bones in the shoulder or upper arm, limiting arm mobility
• Ankle breaks: Slippery surfaces, such as recently mopped floors, can cause your feet to twist, leading to a painful ankle fracture
• Hip fractures: Statistics show that a fall is the most common cause of hip fractures among elderly adults

Spinal cord injuries

Spinal cord injuries are among the most devastating outcomes of a slip-and-fall accident. These types of injuries may occur due to landing forcefully on your back, twisting the spine in an unnatural manner, or falling from a significant height.

Depending on the location and severity of the injury, a spinal cord injury can lead to partial or complete paralysis.

Symptoms may include:

• Loss of sensation
• Reflexes or spasms
• Difficulty breathing
• Pain or intense stinging sensation
• Impaired bodily functions
• Loss of movement

Head injuries and traumatic brain injuries

A traumatic brain injury (TBI) occurs when the head experiences a violent blow or jolt, causing the brain to collide with the skull. With a slip-and-fall accident, a traumatic brain injury case results from striking your head on the ground or an object.

Types of head injuries sustained in a slip-and-fall accident may include:

• Concussions: A concussion is a mild form of traumatic brain injury that can cause symptoms such as headaches, dizziness, and confusion.
• Contusions: These are bruises on the brain tissue caused by a direct impact on the head. Contusions can lead to significant brain damage, affecting cognitive and motor functions.
• Skull fractures: A major slip-and-fall accident can lead to head trauma and fractures in the skull. This can cause bone fragments to press into the brain, leading to further medical complications such as infections or brain damage.
• Hematomas: A hematoma is a collection of blood outside of blood vessels and can occur in the brain after a slip-and-fall accident. Symptoms can include headaches, vomiting, and coma.

The Cost of Medical Care Beyond the Initial Treatment

The most obvious cost of a slip and fall injury is the cost of your immediate medical treatment. While your initial medical care was likely costly, your medical expenses may not end once you leave the emergency room.

Slip and fall injuries often result in ongoing medical needs such as:

• Consultations with specialists: Severe slip and fall injuries may require follow-up visits with specialists such as orthopedic surgeons, neurologists, or other medical professionals
• Surgical procedures: Your fall injuries may necessitate surgery, which involves not only the procedure but also costly pre-operative and post-operative care
• Physical therapy: Depending on the severity of your injury, you may require months of physical therapy and rehabilitation; treatment can be drawn-out and expensive, especially for severe head injuries or spinal cord damage
• Prescription medication: Pain management and other necessary prescription medications can become a recurring medical expense

If your slip and fall injury was a result of a property owner’s negligence, you should not have to pay these medical expenses out-of-pocket. A slip-and-fall accident lawyer can help you pursue compensation not only for current medical expenses but also for the cost of your ongoing healthcare needs.

Slip-and-Fall Accident Injuries and the Need for Home Modifications

If you have sustained a serious injury in a slip-and-fall accident, especially one that results in long-term disability or mobility issues, home modifications may be needed.

The following home modifications can ensure safety and independence:

• Accessibility improvements: Ramps, stairlifts, and wider doorways may be needed to accommodate wheelchairs and other mobility aids, allowing for smoother movement throughout the home

• Bathroom modifications: Grab bars, walk-in tubs, and non-slip flooring can provide support and stability, minimizing the risk of further falls

• Kitchen adjustments: Accessible appliances and lowered countertops and cabinets can help maintain independence and simplify daily tasks

After a slip-and-fall accident, occupational therapists may be able to assess your home and recommend changes tailored to your specific needs. Contractors experienced in accessibility modification can ensure that all installations are done correctly and safely.

If your slip-and-fall accident occurred due to someone else’s negligence and caused you life-changing health conditions, you might be entitled to compensation that can cover the cost of needed home modifications. A personal injury attorney can review your slip-and-fall case and explain your legal options.

The Financial Strain of Transportation Costs

Another cost that people do not always think about following a slip-and-fall accident is transportation fees. Recovery from a slip-and-fall may involve follow-up appointments, physical therapy, and visits to specialists. Each of these appointments requires traveling, which can be a challenge if your injuries prevent you from driving.

If you do not have access to personal transportation, the cost of taxis, public transportation, or ridesharing services can quickly add up. Additionally, the time spent going to and from appointments can result in lost wages, compounding the financial strain.

Be sure to keep detailed records of any travel expenses related to your injury for potential reimbursement. A slip-and-fall attorney can help you seek compensation for all injury-related expenses, including travel costs.

Emotional Distress and Psychological Trauma

The emotional and psychological impact of a serious slip-and-fall accident is often overlooked but can be just as debilitating as physical injuries.

Emotional injuries resulting from slip-and-fall accidents are serious and deserve attention and care. Recognizing these fall injuries and seeking appropriate treatment may be vital for a full recovery.

The following are some of the emotional and psychological repercussions individuals face following slip-and-fall accidents.

Anxiety and fear

After the initial shock of the slip-and-fall accident subsides, many individuals experience heightened anxiety and fear of falling again. Fear of falling can lead to avoidance behaviors such as being excessively cautious or avoiding places or activities where they feel the risk of falling is greater.

The feeling of anxiety can be crippling, impacting an individual’s daily routine and quality of life.

Depression

Chronic pain, medical treatments, the disruption of daily life, and the potential loss of mobility can lead to feelings of sadness and hopelessness. Social isolation, either due to physical injuries or emotional withdrawal, can intensify these feelings of emotional distress and depression.

Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)

In more severe personal injury cases, a slip-and-fall accident can trigger post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).

Symptoms can include:

• Insomnia
• Nightmares
• Flashbacks to the incident
• Severe anxiety

These symptoms can be debilitating, making it challenging for the accident victim to move past the event and resume daily activities.

Slip-and-Fall Accidents and Loss of Income

Another potential hidden cost of slip-and-fall accidents is loss of income. Your fall injuries may prevent you from working for a period of time. Whether you work full-time, part-time, or are self-employed, being unable to return to work can lead to a substantial loss of income.

While lost wages are a direct hit to your financial stability, the impact can be even more severe if your slip and fall injury results in the inability or reduced ability to perform your job.

Factors affecting loss of earning capacity include:

• The severity of the injury: Permanent disabilities or chronic conditions can diminish one’s ability to return to his or her previous line of work.
• Nature of employment: The impact on earning capacity can vary depending on the type of work a person performs. For example, a back injury may prevent a construction worker from returning to his job, while a person who works in an office could still be able to perform his job.
• Age: Younger individuals who are in the early stages of their careers may experience a greater loss in earning capacity compared to someone closer to retirement. This is simply because they have more years of their life left to work and earn an income.
• Retraining: In some situations, injuries may be so severe that the individual is unable to return to his or her previous line of work. Further education or retraining may be required to pursue a new career path.

Why Contact a Slip-and-Fall Accident Lawyer

After being injured in a slip-and-fall accident, you deserve full compensation for all of your losses. Slip-and-fall accident lawyers can determine the true value of your personal injury claim, taking into consideration not just medical bills but also additional expenses that are often overlooked.

Proving a slip-and-fall case requires strong evidence. A slip-and-fall accident attorney can investigate your case thoroughly, gathering evidence such as eyewitness testimony, accident reports, surveillance footage, and maintenance records.

Insurance companies often aim to minimize payouts to protect their profits. They may offer quick, low settlements that barely cover immediate expenses, let alone long-term costs such as future medical bills. A personal injury attorney can negotiate with insurers on your behalf, pushing for a fair settlement that reflects the full extent of your damages and can take the case to trial if reaching a fair settlement out of court fails.

Coping with the aftermath of a slip-and-fall accident can be stressful. Hiring a personal injury lawyer allows you to focus on your recovery while your legal team handles the claims process.

Recover Full Compensation for All Slip and Fall Injury Damages

Slip-and-fall accidents can happen anywhere: in a grocery store, at the pool, or at a neighbor’s house. If your slip-and-fall accident and injury were the result of a negligent property owner, you deserve full compensation for your losses.

The hidden costs of a slip and fall injury can be extensive, impacting a victim’s financial stability and emotional well-being. A slip-and-fall accident lawyer can ensure you receive fair compensation for both obvious and hidden costs.

At Hill & Moin, we have over 50 years of combined experience in advocating for the legal rights of accident victims. We have helped our clients recover millions of dollars in damages. When you choose our law firm to represent your legal claim, you are not just another case to us. We care about our clients so much that you could say it’s like “having a lawyer in the family.”

Schedule your free case evaluation with us for affordable legal counsel today. Call us 24/7 at (212) 668-6000 or complete our contact form to learn your Personal Injury Recovery SolutionsⓇ. 

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