Unintentional falls are one of the leading causes of death in America, but these incidents are also among the top reasons that people seek medical treatment for accidental injuries. According to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), more than 6.84 million people head to hospital emergency rooms annually for slip and fall injuries, and many others visit their primary care physicians for treatment. These accidents are usually preventable, so it is a comfort to know that you have legal remedies. Florida law imposes a duty on property owners, and they can be held accountable for failing to keep their spaces safe.
The injuries from a slip and fall can affect your life in ways you did not expect, with financial and emotional losses even beyond the physical pain. A Miami slip and fall attorney will help you pursue a negligent property owner for breach of the duty of care since these cases fall under premises liability concepts. Enforcing your legal rights is important when you realize the extent of your losses.
Common Slip and Fall Injuries
These accidents are serious because they can affect almost any part of the human body. There can also be secondary injuries as a person grabs for stability or tries to balance to avoid the fall. Victims frequently suffer from the following:
- Head injuries, including concussion and traumatic brain injury (TBI);
- Complete and incomplete spinal cord injuries;
- Herniated and bulging discs, which are the gel-filled sacs that provide cushion for spinal vertebrae;
- Broken bones, particularly to the lower extremities, wrists, and hands;
- Whiplash and other soft tissue injuries;
- Bruises, abrasions, and lacerations; and,
- Hip and shoulder dislocations.
Medical Costs for Treatment
With such a wide array of injuries that can cause harm to victims, you can imagine the expenses for treatment after a slip and fall accident. For serious injuries, you may require emergency care and ambulance transportation to the hospital. Even with injuries that can be treated on a same-day basis, you will incur considerable medical costs at an urgent care facility.
Additional medical expenses may include:
- Hospitalization;
- In-patient or outpatient surgery;
- Physical therapy and rehabilitation services;
- Adjustments to your home and vehicle to account for a hospital bed, wheelchair, scooter, and other assistive devices;
- Pain medications; and,
- Many more.
Other Losses for Victims of Slip and Falls
Besides the high medical costs for treatment, there are additional consequences when you are injured in an accident. You could sustain lost wages, pain and suffering, emotional distress, and related implications.
Premises liability concepts you to recover compensation for the medical costs described above, as well as the losses that affect your quality of life.
Discuss Your Rights with a Miami Slip and Fall Accidents Lawyer
To learn more about Florida premises liability laws and your rights, please contact Gerson & Schwartz, PA, at our offices in Miami, Fort Lauderdale, or West Palm Beach, FL. You can set up a no-cost case evaluation with a slip-and-fall attorney by calling (305) 371-6000 or checking out our website.