Slip and fall accidents are serious matters. People may suffer a painful injury in a fall, with some even dying from their injuries. Some groups of people, however, are more susceptible to falling than others. Research has shown that older people are the most at risk to suffering a fall.
American Bone Health explains that each year, over 30% of American adults aged 65 and older suffer a fall. Falls are the primary reason many older adults suffer non-fatal injuries or require admission to a hospital. These falls can inflict bone fractures; in fact, falls are the most common cause of fractures in older people. These fractures can occur in various places, like the arms, legs, a hip, the pelvis, or the spine.
The most serious fall injuries can result in death, which has become a growing problem for seniors in recent years. Suffering a fall is actually the most common cause of death in older people, and the number of deaths resulting from falls has also gone up over the last ten years. Even if a senior survives a fall, the aftermath of the incident can still degrade the health of the senior and lead to an early death.
Falls have other consequences. Some seniors spend a lot of money to recover from a fall, which can impact their current financial state and degrade their living situation. Some injuries inflict disabilities that last for a lifetime. Fall survivors may develop a fear of falling, losing confidence in their ability to get around. As a result, they restrict their activities, which diminishes their quality of life and could hasten death.
Because many seniors go to stores and other public accommodations, proper maintenance of floors, stairs and walkways is essential to prevent devastating accidents. Failure to do so because of negligent action could mean liability for the owner of the property.
