How To Deal With Your Injuries After A Slip And Fall Injury To Accelerate Your Recovery
Slip and fall injuries are a major cause of injury in the United States. This article will cover some information on what you should do if you find yourself with such an injury, including seeking medical attention, reporting the accident to the authorities, documenting everything that happened leading up to your fall, and most importantly looking into treatment options for any slip-and-fall related injuries. So, read on if you want to learn how to deal with your slip and fall injuries.
Seek Medical Attention Immediately
Needless to say, if you sustain a slip and fall injury it is of the utmost importance that you seek medical attention. This type of injury may not be life-threatening; however, any fall can leave you with serious injuries such as fractures, bruises, and even head injuries. As such, it is important that you visit an emergency room or urgent care facility to receive a proper examination. Even if you don’t feel pain, it is conceivable that you’ve suffered serious injuries without knowing it. For this reason, you should never assume that your injuries are too minor to merit a visit to the doctor.
Report An Accident
When an accident happens, it is very important that you report the accident to the authorities. This may seem unnecessary or excessive, but in reality, slip and fall injuries are a major issue in the United States. Due to this fact, the government requires certain institutions to have reporting standards for accidents within their premises.
It doesn’t matter if you slip and fell in a store, on a sidewalk, or at a friend’s house—report it to the management, owner, or landlord immediately. You should also call a slip and fall lawyer who specializes in this kind of personal injury as soon as possible following the accident to ensure that your case is filed quickly and efficiently. A lawyer will help you determine who is at fault for your injuries, which will in turn help you receive the compensation that you deserve.
Document Everything
Slip and fall cases can get messy quickly—and without proper documentation of what happened before your slip and fall accident, it’s unlikely that you’ll be able to prove your case. You should therefore take photos of any injuries that you sustained in the accident or of any damage done to your personal property. Take photos of the scene where the accident occurred, including close-ups of any evidence left behind by your fall. This evidence can be things like broken glass or spilled items.
Afterward, write down a short summary describing what happened leading up to your fall so that you have a written record of the accident as well as physical evidence. In addition, you should also save medical bills and records of all the times you visited the doctor following your fall.
The Most Common Fall-Related Orthopedic Injuries
The most common types of fall-related injuries include fractures, dislocations, sprains, and strains. Fractures are often characterized by sharp pain and the inability to bear weight on a particular bone—for example if you broke your ankle in the fall. Dislocations are also characterized by acute pain and the inability to bear weight on a particular bone—such as if you tore or pulled the ligaments that hold your knee together. Strains and sprains cause soreness throughout an area of your body; for instance, if you tore a muscle or pulled a tendon in your arm, you would most likely have a severe sprain.
Treatment Options For Fall-Related Injuries
As mentioned above, the most common fall-related injuries include fractures, dislocations, sprains, and strains. Treatment for such injuries begins with RICE—resting the injured area of your body, icing the injured area, compressing any swelling, and elevating your leg or arm. If necessary, a doctor may also order medications to help reduce pain and inflammation.
Additionally, if you suffered a serious fracture or dislocation, your doctor may suggest surgery. Many fractures related to slip and fall injuries can be fixed with orthopedic equipment, such as plates, pins, rods, screws, and cam devices. Dislocations often require similar types of equipment—which are typically set in place with metal wires or cables.
While it won’t always be possible to avoid slip and fall injuries altogether, it is possible to take steps that may help you avoid injury. For instance, try wearing non-slip shoes, stay well-lit in areas where slips and falls are most common, walk slowly on slippery surfaces, and use familiar routes whenever possible. If you slip and fall, however, it’s important to know what to do. Seek medical attention for your injuries right away, make sure you document the accident and call a slip and fall lawyer at once to ensure that your case is filed quickly and efficiently.
