People fall every day, and most falls don’t lead to any noteworthy consequences. Some people smash their phones or bruise themselves, but most slip-and-falls have very few long-term consequences. However, it is very possible for people to suffer serious injuries in a slip-and-fall incident.
The risk is serious enough that most companies carry premises liability insurance to protect against the risk of a visitor getting hurt, which can be very expensive for a business. Roughly a million people in the United States end up requiring emergency medical care because of a slip-and-fall every year.
Some of these individuals will have injuries that could cost them tens of thousands of dollars before they fully recover. What are two of the most expensive injuries associated with slip-and-fall incidents in public spaces?
Traumatic brain injuries
The momentum of a fall can cause serious internal injuries. Someone could hit their head on a shelf or the floor when they fall, and that blunt force trauma could cause bleeding or swelling inside the skull.
Traumatic brain injuries (TBIs) often cause delayed-onset symptoms that can last for months or sometimes become permanent. TBIs can affect someone’s balance, their memory and even their personality. A brain injury could easily lead to thousands of dollars in hospital bills and a significant reduction in someone’s earning potential.
Broken bones
At first glance, a broken bone might not seem nearly as serious as a brain injury. However, broken bones could mean eight weeks or longer away from work if someone performs manual labor.
Severe breaks that involve the bone pushing through the skin or breaking into multiple pieces could require surgery and an even lengthier rehabilitation period. In rare cases, broken bones could also result in lasting injury by causing complex regional pain syndrome as the body attempts to heal the traumatic injury.
Given that you don’t know how well your arm will heal or if you hurt your brain when you fall, it is usually in your best interest to notify a business that you fell before you leave to seek medical attention. Understanding the possible injuries that could result from a TBI could help you take the right steps after a slip-and-fall in a public place.