Almost everyone has accidentally fallen at some point in their lives. Hopefully you were able to get up, dust yourself off, and continue your day. Unfortunately, that is not always the case. In 2012, the Florida Department of Health published statistics of accidental falls and the results are surprising:
- Florida had 65,016 reported injuries related to falls, and 2,475 were fatal
- Men accounted for 51% of deaths from injuries related to falls, but only 35% of non-fatal hospitalizations. Women accounted for 49% of deaths and 65% of hospitalizations.
- The most common injuries related to falls are traumatic brain injuries, hip fractures, lower extremity fractures, back / spine injuries and neck injuries.
In addition, according to the National Floor Safety Institute:
- According to the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), floors and flooring materials directly contribute to more than 2 million injuries per fall each year.
- Medical and compensation costs associated with employee slip / fall accidents are approximately $70 billion annually.
- 22% of slip and fall incidents resulted in more than 31 days off work.
Accidents due to slips and falls can occur with or without the existence of negligence. Therefore, if you have slipped and suffered injuries, it is important to contact a lawyer to review your accident to determine if you are entitled to compensation. For a free consultation, call Pardy & Rodriguez, P.A. at 407-481-0066.
