Articles Posted in Slip and Fall

A man from Port St. Lucie was recently awarded more than $1 million after a slip-and-fall accident in one of the country’s largest retail stores. According to The Palm Beach Post, the 41-year-old man was carrying a bottle of water at the Walmart on S.W. Gatlin when he stepped on a Gatorade sign that had fallen off a nearby display. The man fell violently and tore the tendons in the biceps of his right arm.

Since the accident, he has acquired over $200,000 in medical bills. He’s had three serious surgeries in less than two years. He had to have a cadaver Achilles tendon inserted into his arm to help with building strength. Now he has a “Popeye Deformity,” which refers to a malformed bicep. The abnormal bulges resemble much of the famous cartoon character Popeye’s arms.

Our Port St. Lucie slip-and-fall accident lawyers understand that these kinds of incidents are nothing to joke about. Oftentimes, victims are left with life-altering and debilitating conditions. Many of these kinds of accidents can be prevented if property owners and supervisors take better care to maintain the premises. According to the security camera, Walmart employees disregarded the sign after it fell. Instead, they pointed their fingers at Gatorade, saying the sign was properly assembled and it was the plastic screws on the display that were faulty and caused the accident. Walmart also claims that it was not negligent because workers didn’t have enough time to remove the sign before the accident.

After the jury deliberated for 4 hours, jurors came back with a verdict that found Walmart was 90 percent at fault. The victim was awarded more than $1,287,000 for his injuries.

According to the National Safety Council (NSC), falls are the number one cause of unintentional injuries in the U.S. These incidents account for close to 9 million visits to the E.R. each year.

Adults over the age of 55 are at the highest risks for these kinds of accidents. It gets worse with age, too. Risks for fatal fall accidents are four times higher for adults over the age of 64 than anyone else.

In 2009, there were close to 30,000 fall-related fatalities in the U.S. Many of these incidents could have been prevented with a little more awareness and caution.

Tips to help prevent fall accidents:

-Make sure all phone cords and electrical wires are stored out of common walkways. You want to make sure that walkways are clear of all possible tripping hazards.

-Get rid of small throw rugs if you can. If not, use non-skid mats to help to keep them from slipping. Rugs only serve as a dangerous obstacle. Keep floors smooth, flat and clear for safety.

-Toss out all obstacles, including toys, trash, shoes, paper, boxes, from common walking areas. Walkways need to be clear of obstacles.

-Eliminate all uneven walking surfaces.

-Clean up spills immediately!
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The National Safety Council has been raising awareness about summertime safety throughout the month of June in an effort to reduce the number of unintentional injuries sustained at work and at home. We first posted about the frequency of unintentional injuries leading to hospital visits on our South Florida Injury Lawyers Blog earlier this month. Slip and fall injuries are the most common avoidable injury and can happen at home, local establishments and at work.

West Palm Beach personal injury lawyers want to remind residents that if you are victim of a fall that occurred at work, in a nursing home, or at a place of business, you should contact an experienced accident attorney. Medical costs and personal suffering will become a burden, and you have a right to be compensated.

The week of June 19-25 is aimed at preventing slips, trips and falls. The NSC estimates that 8.6 million visits to hospital emergency rooms each year are the result of a trip or fall accident.

Older adults are most at risk, and falls occurring in this age group can sometimes be severe enough to alter your personal freedom or independent lifestyle. Adults 65 and older are four times more likely to die in a fall than any other age group.

The NSC recommends these tips to prevent falls at home:

-Create a fall-proof environment in your home by keeping clutter to a minimum, especially on steps and walkways that you use frequently.

-Purchase skid-proof rugs to be placed in slippery areas.

-Keep staircases and hallways well-lit by turning on lights as you walk from room to room.

-Handrails are a must on stairways. It is also advised that bathrooms are equipped with handrails.

-Tuck away any phone cords, television cables or electrical cords so that they can’t be tripped on.

-Refrain from waxing floors routinely as it makes them more slippery. Clean up water or other liquid spills quickly.

-If you need to reach something up high, get a steady step ladder or stool with rails to help you reach and keep you steady.

-Prescribed medications often have side effects like weakness or dizziness, which can cause you to fall. Take accurate doses to reduce the risk of falling.

Children are also at a high risk for fall injuries. The NSC offers these additional safety tips for children:

-Use safety gates around stairs and entrance ways to keep small children contained.

-Keeps windows closed and locked around small children. Remove furniture or objects near windows that children can easily climb on to get to windows.

-Use slip resistant stickers or a rubber mat in the bathtub to reduce the risk of slipping on a slippery but hard surface that could cause severe injury.

-Never allow children to play unsupervised on balconies or fire escapes.
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The Army has developed a simple blood test that can diagnose minor traumatic brain injury or concussion, the USA Today reported.

Such a breakthrough would have a wide range of uses in diagnosing Traumatic Brain Injury from Fort Lauderdale car accidents or injuries caused by bicycle, pedestrian or slip and fall accidents.

TBI can be very hard to diagnose and, left untreated, can lead to life-threatening medical conditions. Brain injuries affect 1.4 million Americans each year, according to the National Brain Injury Association. Seventy percent are mild cases, which can be particularly hard to diagnose. A contributor to the New York Times recently reported an undiagnosed head injury resulting from a bicycle accident was nearly fatal after she developed a subdural hematoma.

Each year, about 1.3 million people are treated in the emergency room for a traumatic brain injury, about 275,000 are hospitalized and more than 50,000 die, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

The most common causes of TBI:

-Falls (35.2 percent)

-Traffic Accidents (17.3 percent)

-Struck by object (16.5 percent)

-Assaults (10 percent)

Mild TBI, including concussions, are often missed at the time of initial injury. Fifteen percent of patients have symptoms for one year or more.

Symptoms of mild TBI may include:

-Fatigue
-Headache
-Visual Disturbances
-Memory Loss
-Poor attention or concentration
-Sleep disturbances
-Dizziness
-Irritability/emotional disturbances
-Depression
-Seizures
-Nausea
-Loss of smell
-Light or sound sensitivity
-Mood changes
-Getting lost or confused
-Slowness of thinking
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