Slip and Fall Injuries

Injuries are unpredictable. You can get hurt any time and anywhere. The most unpredictable ones are the slip and fall injuries. Everyone of us have at least once in our lifetime have experienced this type of injury. They are very common and people usually laugh at others when they slip and fall. May be its funny but it can be very dangerous. From backache and simple swelling it may even cause death. Let's find out some of the details about this type of injury.

What are Slip and Fall Injuries?
Injuries caused due to slip and fall are very common but they are different from each other. Slip is related to friction and fall is usually related to height. Slip takes place when the friction between your shoe and the surface is very less. This denies the shoe a proper grip with the surface and results in a slip. Whereas fall can take place from a height or from the same surface. It is caused due to the imbalance of the body. Usually slips are not dangerous but falls can be extremely dangerous. Falls can even cause death. You cannot just stop slipping and falling but yes you can take measures of preventing slip and fall injuries as it reduces the chances of accidents to a great extent.

Causes of Slip and Fall
The causes for such injuries can be easily avoided by taking some precautionary measures. Following are some of the causes which will help you to be alert at the time of such circumstances.

• Old shoes, shoes with heels, flat soles all these are the major culprits in the slips.
• Wet floors or the floors which are very plain with least grip can also cause severe slip injuries.
• Height or change in elevation may lead you to falls. This type of fall usually takes place when the people are absent minded or if there is a sudden change in the elevation.
• Environmental conditions may cause many such injuries specially rain and snowfall.
• Uneven surface may result in fall injuries.
• Psychological and physical condition can also be a reason behind slip and fall.
• At night, poor lighting creates a lot of problems in the visibility. This may lead to some of the sever slip and fall accidents.
• Stairs are among the most common causes. Weak stairs, broken railing, improper building up of the stair can contribute to the injuries.

Compensation for Slip and Fall Injuries
Say if you fall in a shopping mall or at your work place and it was not your fault as it was due to the wet floor. At this time you can claim the compensation from the mall owner or whoever is responsible for your injury. There are lots of economic dimensions of slip and fall. You can claim for the medical charges which may include the expenses of tests, medicines, surgeries, ambulance charges, etc. You can also claim damage done to your personal property like laptop, mobile, etc. Although you may not get 100% compensation for this but yes, if you hire a good personal injury lawyer then he can make a slip and fall settlement in your favor.

Prevention from Slip and Fall Injuries
You can avoid slip and fall by taking few precautionary steps. Following are some of the safety tips which can at least help you to avoid such conditions.

• Avoid wearing heels, old shoes and flat sole. Wear shoes with proper grip.
• Wear footwear which suits the weather.
• Ask the housekeeping staff of your office to wipe the floor if its wet.
• At the time of wet weather, keep doormats at the entrance to avoid wetness inside the house.
• Always check the lighting of the house and maintain proper illumination. At the places where there is poor lighting, be alert and careful while walking.
• Do not run in the snowy and wet surface.
• Use railing while climbing the stairs.
• Keep an eye on the safety sign boards if you find any and follow the instructions.
• Do not engage yourself in reading, writing or any such activities while walking.

These all precautionary measure can save you from slip and fall injuries. Maximum times, the carelessness results in such personal injuries, hence, always be alert and careful while walking. It will decrease the chances of such injuries to a great extent. So take care and keep walking safely!