Fall Accidents
New York personal injury attorneys see countless clients who suffer injuries in fall accidents. In truth, the reason so many clients seek legal help is that fall accidents are so common.
How Common Are Fall Injuries?
The Centers for Disease Control reports that fully a million people suffer fall injuries annually. 20,000 of these victims die. Indeed, in New York falls account for the highest incidence of injuries requiring hospitalization among children under age 14, and adults over age 24. Fall injuries are the leading cause of accidental death for those 49 years of age and over. The statistics are clear: fall accidents are all too common. Moreover, when they occur, they can be devastating.
Commonly fall victims suffer bruises, broken hips or limbs, spinal damage, and injuries to the head. In fact, brain injuries are frequent. One can imagine the horror of losing footing and tumbling down a stairway. At the bottom, all too often, death awaits.
Where Do Fall Accidents Happen?
The CDC breaks fall injuries down into two major categories – same level and elevated accidents. Same level accidents include most slip and falls, and are the more common. A person may slip on a wet or slick surface, over an object such as an electric cord, or trip over objects left in the way. Elevated accidents are those in which a victim falls from a higher level to a lower one, such as from a ladder or down a set of stairs. These generally result in the more serious injuries. Oddly enough, most injuries from fall accidents occur from heights of less than ten feet.
Often fall injuries occur when an area is improperly maintained. A landlord may neglect to repair lighting, leading to a tenant or guest slipping in the dark. In such case, it must be established that the person responsible owed a duty of care, and that by negligence or inaction he failed to provide it. An injury must have resulted from the failure to provide the duty. Since often these matters get into technical legal issues, it is useful to hire a New York personal injury attorney to assist.
A Fall Injury Attorney Can Help
If you have been injured in a fall accident, you may wish to file a claim against the responsible party to recover damages. With the help of a New York personal injury attorney it is possible to gain compensation for the cost of your medical care, loss of income while convalescing, physical therapy, pain, suffering, and even psychiatric care if emotional trauma is a result of the accident.
If you or a loved one has been injured in a New York personal injury accident, the experienced personal injury lawyers at the Law Offices of Kenneth A. Wilhelm can help you better understand your legal rights and options. Please contact us at 1-800-WORK-4-YOU (1-800-967-5486) for a free and comprehensive consultation. We can also help with personal injury cases in New Jersey, Connecticut, Pennsylvania, or Florida. If you have been seriously injured in any of the 50 U.S. states, please call us and we will try to help you with your case.
