Breaking Down 10 Facts About Slip And Fall Accidents
Michael Babboni
Personal Injury
Slip and fall accidents are a common cause of injury in St. Petersburg and all throughout the United States. However, while they’re so common, they’re not often thought of when one considers their risk of injury to themselves or their family while out and about. A few facts about slip and fall injuries can show you just how prevalent and serious these accidents can be, and why you should seek the assistance of a St. Petersburg personal injury lawyer if you ever find yourself in an accident caused by another party’s negligence. 10 facts about slip and fall accidents are:- They cause more than 1 million emergency room visits each year – Throughout the United States, the number of people who visit emergency rooms due to a slip and fall accident exceeds 1 million each year. To break this down by day, this means that more than 2,000 people visit American emergency rooms each day due to injuries sustained in a fall.
- Slip and falls are expensive – According to facts and figures by the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, the average hospital bill after a slip and fall accident is around $30,000 and sometimes more. Not only is this figure financially devastating to St. Petersburg families, but it also impacts insurance costs around the country.
- 1/3 of seniors fall each year – As people get older, they become more susceptible to slip and fall accidents. Approximately 1/3 of seniors over 65 fall each year, and injuries to older Americans are more serious on average. These serious injuries come with serious consequences and even more serious hospital costs.
- 5% of slip and falls result in broken bones – Broken bones can take a person out of their regular lives for months at a time, some of which may even require surgery to properly fix. Slip and fall accidents cause serious injuries around 20 to 30% of the time, and 5% of these cases involve broken bones.
- The most common cause of brain injury – When one thinks of brain injury, they typically think of serious motorcycle accidents, dramatic car crashes, or sports related injuries. However, slip and fall accidents are the single leading cause of traumatic brain injuries in the United States.
- Leading cause of injury for all ages – Slip and falls are the single leading cause of non-fatal injuries for every age group except those between the ages of 10 and 24, where it comes in second.
- Accidents cause an average of 11 days of missed work – Not only are slip and fall injuries expensive in terms of hospital bills, but they’re also expensive when it comes to lost wages. After a slip an fall accident, a person will miss an average of 11 days of work.
- $34 billion in medical bills each year – Each year, Americans spend $34 billion in medical costs due to slip and fall accidents.
- Slip and fall accidents cause 95% of hip fractures – Slip and fall accidents are the single leading cause of hip fractures, causing 95% of all hip fractures suffered in the United States. Hip fractures, unlike a fracture on the limbs, will require invasive surgery and a lengthy recovery process.
- Many are completely preventable – Many slip and fall accidents are preventable, and most are caused by negligence on the property owner or injured person’s behalf. If your slip and fall accident was caused by a property owner’s negligence, hiring a personal injury attorney will ensure you receive the compensation you deserve.