Reportedly, of the millions of emergency room visits for fall injuries in West Virginia and across the country, approximately 12% involve slip-and-fall accidents. Furthermore, these accidents are regarded as the primary cause of head trauma and brain injuries. A significant number of personal injury lawsuits in civil courts involve property owners held accountable for falls.
Traumatic Brain Injuries
Fall victims who strike their heads against the floor or other hard objects could suffer anything from mild to life-changing brain injuries. Examples include mild bruises and concussions as well as major skull fractures, bleeding in the brain and hematomas. These injuries could cause seizures, impaired brain functions and inability to control bodily functions.
Fractured bones
Although any bone can break during a fall, ankles, wrists and hip fractures happen more frequently than others.
Twisted ankles, knees and wrists
Wrist injuries happen when people instinctively put out their arms and hands to break the fall. Ligament strains and sprains in ankles and wrists could take a long time to recover. Twisted knees also need long recovery periods, and if it involves a dislocated patella, it might require urgent reconstruction.
Neck and shoulder
Shoulders could be dislocated, and nerves could be damaged. Neck injuries may be no more than muscle sprains, but spinal cord damage could cause paralysis in severe cases.
Spinal cord and back injuries
People who slip and fall could suffer vertebral fractures and herniated or slipped discs. Severe pain and limited mobility could result. However, if spinal cord damage occurs, it could cause temporary or permanent paralysis, neurological impairments or even death.
Slip-and-fall victims often have to deal with various financial consequences like mounting medical expenses, lost wages and more. In addition, life-changing injuries like paralysis would cause long-term economic problems and emotional damages. If this happens to someone in West Virginia, damages might be recoverable by filing a premises liability lawsuit against an alleged negligent property owner.