While most people in Mississippi are aware of the danger associated with a serious falls, the scope and seriousness of an accident risk is much more severe than many people realize.  It is estimated that 424,000 people die in fatal falls annually world wide according to the United Nations Health Agency.  There are another 37 million people who seek medical treatment annually according to the organization.  Falls can occur in many ways including falls from ladders or scaffoldings on construction sites, slip and fall accidents on wet floors in stores and restaurants and trip and fall incidents involving poorly maintained sidewalks.  Many people presume slip, trip and fall accidents are minor events that do more damage to one’s ego than to one’s person.  This is simply not accurate as slip, trip and fall accidents often result in catastrophic debilitating injuries and even wrongful death.

The danger posed by falls increases with age with many elderly residents of Mississippi suffering serious injuries in falls.  Seniors may be more susceptible to serious falls because of cognitive, visual and physical changes that occur with age.  The scope of the problem is revealed by the fact that almost a third of older people over the age of 65 will fall at some time during a typical year based on data from the Centers for Disease Control and prevention (CDC).  Falls are the leading cause of injury and hospital admissions for the elderly.  Almost twenty thousand seniors die in fatal falls per year, meaning that not only are the elderly more prone to a fall, but they also tend to suffer more serious injuries.

There are certain steps that you can take to help reduce the risk of your elderly loved one suffering serious injury in a fall including:

• Keep common walkways clear of obstructions and debris
• Maintaining reasonable fitness through diet and exercise
• Obtain appropriate osteoporosis screening
• Installation of handicap bars and railing in bathrooms and walkways
• Maintain awareness of drugs that may cause dizziness, drowsiness or disorientatio

While these measures may reduce the risk of dangerous falls for seniors in their homes, this will not necessarily protect seniors against falls in businesses or nursing homes.  If your elderly loved one suffers serious injury in a fall while patronizing a business or as a resident in a nursing home, the business owner or nursing home staff have an obligation to warn of potential hazards that are not obvious and keep the premises reasonably safe.  When a business owner or nursing home proprietor fails to take appropriate safeguards to prevent injury to those who come on their property, they may be liable for any resulting injuries.

The experienced personal injury attorneys at Barrett Law have been providing tenacious representation to accident victims for over 75 years.  Our experienced and committed legal team provides innovative litigation trial strategies, effective negotiation and persuasive advocacy for slip, trip and fall victims.  We understand that you may have questions about your rights and remedies so we invite you to call us today at 662-834-2376 to learn how we can help.