If you are injured in a slip and fall accident while lawfully visiting the home or property of another, you rightfully expect to be compensated for damages related to the accident. Whether it was a private residence or some place open to the public, it is the owner or operator’s duty to keep it safe for prospective visitors.
If a visitor is injured due to the negligence or carelessness of the property owner or operator, they can seek compensation for damages. Even seemingly minor injuries can result in significant medical expenses. Oftentimes, internal injuries and trauma can only be identified through proper medical examination.
Other times, serious symptoms may not be present until a later date. Regardless of the severity of your injuries, anyone involved in an accident should seek medical and legal assistance to protect their health and legal options.
Immediately after an accident, you should seek medical treatment. Once your health is secured, contact an attorney. The first hours after an accident can often make or break a future lawsuit.
Things to Do Immediately After a Fall:
- Promptly report the accident to the owner
- Seek medical help and document the injuries
- Collect evidence of the accident scene, specifically its cause, such as a photograph of a floor spill or uneven surface
A qualified attorney will be able to assess the evidence and your injuries to help fight for fair compensation. Sometimes injuries initially relating to the neck can impact the spine if not cared for and properly treated.
An experienced attorney who understands the nature of personal injuries caused by accidents will know what questions to ask your medical provider to ensure that the extent of your injuries are fully documented, to include how primary injuries can lead to further pain and immobility. The Centers of Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) also offer a number of helpful resources related to personal injury and prevention.
Neck and Back Injuries After a Slip and Fall Accident
Neck and back injuries are common. An injured person may suffer from different neck and back injuries that only a qualified medical practitioner can assess. Some examples are:
- A crick in the neck that began because of the accident. Usually, rest will resolve the issue, but if it lasts more than a week and is debilitating, the person should seek additional medical advice.
- A muscle strain may occur in the back but begins to impact the neck, causing severe pain to the accident victim. This may impact mobility and the ability to work or perform daily activities. Over the counter pain medication may help reduce the inflammation, but you should always seek proper medical advice.
- A neck sprain is a stretched ligament or muscle in the neck. It occurs when there is trauma directly to the neck due to an accident, either through impact or whiplash. The person’s connective neck tissue may have torn, resulting in excruciating pain. A neck sprain can restrict movement and cause a lot of inconvenience to those suffering from one.
- Whiplash is a related injury that occurs when there is a sudden movement of the head. It not only impacts the neck and shoulders, but can cause damage to the discs or joints in the spine. There have been cases of nerve root irritation. The patient may experience numbness, weakness, or a tingling sensation in certain parts of the body. They may also experience stiffness and disturbed sleep. The person may have to wear a cervical collar and take medication until the symptoms subside.
- With a herniated disc, the injured person will feel pain, a tingling sensation, and significant pain and difficulty moving. A sudden slip and fall injury can cause extraordinary pressure to the spine or cause it to twist erratically. Herniated discs are especially painful, sometimes requiring narcotic painkillers that are potentially addictive or even surgery.
- Stingers and burners occur when you have a temporary injury that pinches the nerves in your neck. The sudden movement of the neck backward or sideways may lead to significant pain. Medical assistance can be sought but often treatment requires long periods of rest and relaxation, making mobility and employment difficult.
- A neck fracture occurs when the cervical bone is broken. A slip and fall may be severe, leading to a fracture. Surgery may be required in some circumstances.
Some people might not consider these types of accidents to be serious. Cervical dislocation and spinal cord injuries can significantly impact a person’s life, rendering them immobile for long periods of time or even cause life long disability. You should always seek medical assistance after a slip, trip, or fall.
What Can These Injuries Lead To?
These injuries may not always seem serious on the surface but in actuality, they can require expensive and ongoing treatment from specialized doctors. Prolonged recovery periods and comprehensive rehabilitation programs may be required to make a full recovery. Injuries could even lead to a permanent long term incapacitation.
Why You Should Hire an Attorney
A lot of treatment that involves neck and back injury requires specialized medical assistance, which is expensive and may require elaborate procedures. Recovery may be slow and could take weeks, months, or even years to return to normalcy.
Sometimes injuries result in prolonged convalescence, preventing the victim from returning to normal activities of daily living or the ability to maintain gainful employment. People can lose their income and their livelihood due to accidents. The expenses for treatment and rehabilitation need to be compensated by the land owner where you injured yourself.
You should obtain legal help to prove that the slip and fall injury is due to negligence on the landowner’s part, which has resulted in you having to bear the trauma, expense, and loss of income.
A San Antonio Personal Injury Lawyer will procure evidence on your behalf including any witness statements, medical records, and anything else that might help substantiate your claim for compensation. The attorney’s job is to prove how you were a victim to the callousness of the land owner. Contact a qualified, reputable attorney today.