Slip and Fall vs Trip and Fall Injuries
While slip and fall and trip and fall accidents are very similar, they are not identical. In a slip and fall, for instance, a person’s foot loses traction with the floor because it comes into contact with a slick or movable substance (often liquid), that causes the person to fall backwards. Trip and fall accidents, on the other hand, happen when the foot strikes an immovable object rather than a transitory one, which causes a person to misstep and fall, usually forwards. Because they happen in different ways, the injuries sustained in slip and fall and trip and fall accidents are also very different. In either case, a person who can prove that his or her accident was the result of negligence on a property owner’s part, could be entitled to compensation.
Slip and Fall Injuries
Because the motion of a slip and fall accident usually involves a person falling backwards, injuries tend to fall under specific categories, including:
- Head trauma from striking the floor upon impact;
- Back and neck injuries, which can occur when a person hits the floor and his or her head snaps forwards and backwards;
- Shoulder blade injuries;
- Tailbone injuries; and
- Hip injuries.
Which of these injuries a slip and fall victim sustains will depend on a number of factors, including their age and general health, as well as which part of their body struck the ground first.
Trip and Fall Injuries
Unlike slip and fall accidents, trip and fall scenarios typically involve a person tripping and falling forwards. This means that the injuries a trip and fall victim sustains often affect the:
- Face, which can strike the floor first upon falling;
- Wrists, arms, and hands if a person throws his or her arms out in an attempt to stop the fall;
- Knees, which can be injured upon impact with the floor;
- Spine, if a person wrenches or twists his or her back upon falling;
- Shoulders, which can be broken or dislocated upon falling; and
- Ankles, when a person’s foot comes into contact with the solid object that caused the trip.
Any of these injuries could prove to be debilitating, making it difficult to work and fulfill day-to-day responsibilities. Fortunately, injured parties can often recover compensation for these (and other) losses by filing a premises liability claim against the party responsible for the fall.
Reach Out to Our Dedicated Atlanta Slip and Fall Attorneys for Legal Help
Although the type of motion of a fall can influence the kinds of injuries that a person sustains, this doesn’t mean that a fall victim’s injuries will fall neatly into any of the aforementioned categories. This is why each slip or trip and fall case requires close review and individual care, to ensure that a victim has the best possible chance of recovery for his or her specific injuries. Get started on your own case by contacting the experienced Atlanta slip and fall lawyers at Shiver Hamilton Campbell online or by calling our office at 404-593-0020 today.
Sources:
cdc.gov/falls/facts.html
hopkinsmedicine.org/health/conditions-and-diseases/fractures#
