Injuries to look out for after a slip-and-fall accident

Make no mistake: A slip-and-fall can ruin your day, your week and perhaps the rest of your life. A slip-and-fall accident can happen to anyone at any time. Depending on the severity of the resulting injuries, you might end up needing financial compensation for tens of thousands of dollars in medical treatment and lost income.

If you are hurt in a slip-and-fall accident that is not your fault, you can pursue a premises liability claim against the property owner. These types of accidents can result in a variety of injuries. Here are some of the most common:

Shoulder dislocation

In a fall, people often land directly on their shoulder. People also try to brace for the fall with their hands, and the force of landing causes injury to joints in the hands, elbows or shoulder. A fall like this can result in minor injuries like bruising and sprains. It can also result in more serious injuries like shoulder dislocation, which often involves a brachial plexus injury. A shoulder dislocation may require surgery and multiple physical therapy sessions to fully recover.

Broken bones

As a person slips and falls, there is a high risk of suffering a broken bone. The risk is particularly high among the elderly, and many instances of nursing home negligence lead to broken bones. It is not uncommon for fall victims to suffer fractures to the hip, wrist or ankle bones. Depending on the point of impact, some of the bone fractures you are likely to suffer include the spine, forearm, leg, pelvis and hand.

Head and brain injury

Slip-and-fall accidents are one of the major causes of traumatic brain injuries (TBIs). This is especially true when the head comes into contact with a hard surface. A less severe impact may result in the victim suffering a minor concussion. However, even a seemingly minor fall involving a head injury may result in brain damage. Common symptoms of brain damage include swelling of the brain, headache, loss of consciousness, nausea and speech difficulty.

A slip-and-fall accident can leave you with serious injuries, and slip-and-fall accidents happen in a variety of settings, including dangerous conditions in retail stores, nursing homes, construction sites and more. If negligence on the part of the property owner played a part, talk to a personal injury attorney about your options for getting the financial compensation you need to move forward.