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[/profileleft]Many people tend to think of slip and fall accidents as occurrences that are not at all serious. However, a San Diego slip and fall accident is often much more problematic than the Hollywood image of a person slipping on a banana peel. These incidents cause real injuries, serious injuries and in some cases life-changing injuries or worse. Given that it’s National Safety Month, we’d like to continue our efforts in bringing awareness to certain dangers faced by people every day. Below you’ll find some statistics regarding slip and fall accidents in the United States as well as some ideas to keep in mind if you or someone you love is injured in this type of an accident.
Slip and Fall Statistics
The National Floor Safety Institute tracks statistics that relate to slip and fall accidents across the United States. A link to some of that information can be found here. Some statistics of note include:
- Slip and fall accidents lead to over one million emergency room visits every year.
- Slip and fall accidents are the leading cause of missed work days.
- Nearly one-quarter of slip and fall accidents lead to more than 31 missed days of work.
- One in three people over the age of 65 in the United States experience a fall.
- In 2005, more than 15,000 Americans over 65 died as a result of a fall.
- Falls are the leading cause of injury-related death for people who are at least 85 years old.
These are troubling statistics for obvious reasons, and they likely come as a surprise for many people who were unaware of just how common these incidents are in the United States.
San Diego Slip and Fall Accident Aftermath – Ideas to Keep in Mind
If you are in a public place and you suffer a fall that was not your fault, you need to take certain steps to make sure that your legal rights are protected should you decide later to pursue some sort of claim. The first thing you need to do is fill out an incident report. In other words, document what happened as soon as you can. Secondly, you need to obtain a full medical evaluation even if you feel you were not seriously injured. Finally, you should avoid signing anything that the facility may ask you to sign, as you need to make sure that the situation is reviewed by someone who spends every day helping people who have been injured.
Instead, what you should do is contact a San Diego slip and fall accident lawyer so that you can have your situation analyzed and your options can be fully explained. You do have certain legal rights and statuses when you enter a public place and there are other tenets of this area of law that could be relevant to your situation. If this has happened to you, contact the professionals at Gomez Trial Attorneys today to schedule a free initial consultation.
