Why are Hip Fractures So Dangerous After Slip and Fall Accidents?

A hip injury is one of the most devastating injuries and recovering motion and full strength may take a year or longer. During this time, the patient may be subjected to treatment options such as physical therapy and multiple surgeries among others.

Complications of hip injuries

These injuries are very dangerous because complications are common. For instance, these injuries can reduce the victim’s mobility, which can in turn increase their risk of getting urinary tract infections, blood clots and other health issues that may be caused by being bedridden.

Moreover, people who have broken bones can have decreased muscle mass, which can increase their risks of falling in future. If your life has been greatly impacted by an accident that was caused by someone who was careless, you can recover full monetary compensation when you hire an experienced, skilled and knowledgeable attorney to help you.

Hip Injuries

A person’s waist may take the brunt of a fall after he or she trips and slips. Common injuries as a result of slip and fall accidents may include:

Tears, strains and sprains

Muscles, ligaments and tendons that surround the hip, allow it to move and function properly. However, when someone falls, these ligaments, muscles and tendons can be strained and stretched too much, causing the person to experience swelling, pain and weakness in their hip areas.

Bursitis

The bursae are sacks filled with fluid which cushion the hip joints. Bursitis is the inflammation and swelling of the Bursae and people experiencing this condition feel pain and aches, which intensify when they try to walk or do other activities.

Dislocation

The hip can become dislocated if the top of the femur is not properly aligned with the socket of the hip. If dislocation occurs, the person can feel immense pain, be unable to walk and even lose feeling in the ankle and foot if the nerves are damaged as well. If someone has a dislocation, they should seek immediate medical attention.

Fracture

Both major and minor falls can cause a fracture, which is basically a break of the femur at the joint. This causes tingling, numbness, swelling, extreme pain and difficulty moving the leg and hip. People with such injuries require rehabilitation and surgery to fully recover.

Bruised Hip Pointer

Sometimes a fall can affect the iliac crest, which results in injuries of the soft tissues and the bone. Moreover, if the pointer is bruised, the victim may experience swelling, tenderness, pain, muscle spasms and decreased range of motion.

Furthermore, there are several hazardous conditions that can cause slip and fall accidents that can lead to a serious hip fracture.

Uneven and wet floors

Some hazardous conditions on floors include loose flooring, waxed or polished surfaces, not using non-skid surface treatments, broken carpeting, unsalted icy surfaces, spilled grease, potholes and wet surfaces without warning signage. If property owners don’t properly maintain their premises and such hazardous conditions cause your accident, you can sue them.

Unsafe ladders and stairs

Dangerous situations that can result in a slip and fall incident include lack of handrails, worn steps, debris on stairs, waxed stairs and uneven stairs with cracks.

Environmental conditions

Some environmental conditions that can lead to accidents include poor lighting, bright light, cords running across walkways, open drawers and cabinets, flooring transitions and bright light that causes glare on the floors.

Improper safety practices

To prevent any accidents, the staff should be properly trained on how to use the necessary equipment and tools. Such staff include factory workers, custodial staff such as housekeepers, manual labourers, kitchen staff and construction workers.

Someone’s risk of getting a fracture can increase if they are older than 65 years, are inactive and have osteoporosis. Moreover, if your diet does not contain vitamin D or calcium, your bones may have a higher risk of fracturing. In addition, conditions such as Alzheimer’s can increase the chances of getting a hip injury.

Compensation

The costs of dealing with hip injuries can be very expensive. For instance, the medical bills may not only be a one-time thing but may continue to increase over the years. However, if your claim is successful, you can get enough money to cater to all your current and future medical bills along with other damages you sustained.

Your settlement will not only be calculated based on the severity of your injuries but also on the loss of consortium, lost wages, pain and suffering, diminished earning power, disability and punitive damages.

Conclusion

In most states, the victims have a legal deadline of two years to file a lawsuit with the court, referred to as the statute of limitations. After the deadline has passed, affected parties cannot be allowed to file a claim and even if the court agrees to their lawsuit, the defendant may deny liability based on the statute of limitations deadline. To avoid missing the deadline and other issues, connect with a skilled attorney who will handle your legal battle for you.