An Alarming increase in Fatal Slip and Fall Accidents Among Seniors

Slip and fall accidents can happen to anyone, regardless of gender or age. There are, however, certain populations that do tend to be involved in these kinds of accidents more often than others. Seniors, for instance, or those who are over the age of 65 years old, are injured at a much higher rate than other groups and unfortunately, these numbers seem to be on the rise. In fact, some studies indicate that the rate of fatal slip and fall accidents among seniors has doubled in the last two decades.

How Common are Slip and Fall Accidents Among Seniors? 

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), as many as one-quarter of Americans over the age of 65 years old are involved in slip and fall accidents every year. While not all of those accidents will be fatal, almost 40 percent will result in injuries that require medical attention and restricted activity. In Georgia, nearly 400,000 seniors were injured in such a way in 2020 alone. Tragically, those falls led to the deaths of 771 people.

Why are Slip and Fall Accidents So Dangerous for Seniors? 

Safety experts have posited a number of different reasons for the increase in fatal falls among senior populations in the U.S. For instance, many slip and fall accidents are attributed to the types of medications that some seniors take for blood pressure problems or other ailments. These medications often have multiple side effects, including dizziness, lightheadedness, confusion, and a loss of balance. These problems can become even worse when certain medications interact with each other. Other things that can cause slip and fall accidents among elderly populations include:

• Age-related loss of muscle mass;
• Problems with gait and balance;
• Sudden drops in blood pressure;
• Impaired eyesight, hearing, and reflexes; and
• Certain medical conditions that affect balance.

Most of these issues are age-related, but that does not mean that there aren’t steps that we can take to help reduce the number of fatal slip and fall accidents among seniors.

Preventing Falls

 Slip and fall accidents have much more serious consequences for elderly individuals, who may already be suffering from reduced bone and muscle mass. This means that injuries resulting from these kinds of falls are often serious and can lead to other problems down the road. This is one of the reasons why it’s so important to take steps to lower the chances that a person will be involved in this type of accident. These steps include:

• Getting regular medical screenings;
• Vision testing;
• Talking to a doctor about a medication’s side effects;
• Remaining physically active;
• Avoiding or limiting alcohol consumption;
• Using assistive devices, like canes or walkers; and
• Installing grab bars in the bathroom

Unfortunately, even those who take these steps could end up involved in a slip and fall accident because of someone else’s negligence. In these cases, injured parties could hold the at-fault party liable for this carelessness by filing a claim against them in court.

Call for a Free Consultation 

If your loved one was injured in a slip and fall accident because of a nursing home or other property owner’s negligence, you could be entitled to compensation for his or her medical bills and pain and suffering. Call Shiver Hamilton Campbell at 404-593-0020 to speak with one of our experienced Atlanta slip and fall lawyers about your case.

Sources: 

cdc.gov/falls/data/index.html

nia.nih.gov/health/falls-and-fractures-older-adults-causes-and-prevention#:~:text