Preventing Injuries Caused by Falls

Not surprisingly, one of the leading causes of injury in the country are falls. In fact, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, almost 9 million emergency room visits to our nation’s hospitals each year are the result of accidental falls.

Accidental falls make up roughly 40 percent of all nonfatal injuries that occur in U.S. homes, according to the Home Safety Council. As for deadly falls in the home, they make up about a third all accidental home injury deaths.

Young children and the elderly are at the highest risk of falling and injuring themselves in the home, so it is important to take extra precautions in these households.

The American Academy of Emergency Physicians offers several tips on how to prevent falls that occur in your home:

• Remove clutter and clear all staircases and walkways throughout your home.
• Make sure staircases are well lit, especially at landings.
• Utilize nightlights in bathrooms, hallways and bedrooms.
• Make sure loose carpeting or other flooring is replaced or repaired.
• Install bars or handrails in bathrooms and showers where needed, especially in homes where elderly adults live.
• Make sure shower and tub floors have non-slip surfaces.
• Refrain from using throw rugs in homes where elderly adults live or make sure rugs are secured properly.
• Install gates with locks near staircases in homes with young children.
• Install window guards that can be easily opened in case of fire.

Many times when an adult or child are injured or killed as a result of a fall, the accident is a result of another person’s negligence. If you or a loved one has been hurt in a trip or slip and fall accident, please call or e-mail our premises liability attorneys today. The call is free and our premises liability lawyers only get paid if we can obtain money for you. Our firm proudly serves clients in New York City and Long Island, including the Bronx, Queens, Brooklyn, Manhattan, Nassau and Suffolk.

Call us toll-free, 1-877-ASK4SAM