Anyone of any age and physical ability can slip or trip and fall when there’s an unexpected spill, obstruction or uneven surface. However, as people get older, injuries suffered in falls become more serious and can even have long-term impacts on their lives.
Let’s look briefly at two types of fall injuries that are all too common – and potentially dangerous or even life-threatening for seniors. They can also have significant financial impacts.
Hip fractures
As people age, their bones lose density and become easier to break. Hip fractures are especially debilitating. They often require surgery, which involves hospitalization and rehabilitation.
Studies have found that hip fractures too often mark the beginning of a downward physical and mental health spiral because of the effect they have on mobility. Medical professionals are placing more emphasis on comprehensive recovery plans that help keep seniors as active as possible as they recover.
Traumatic brain injuries
The brain, like every other part of the body, changes as people age. That’s why falls that cause a traumatic brain injury (TBI) can have especially serious outcomes for seniors. Over 80% of TBIs suffered by seniors are the result of a fall.
Seniors experience some brain shrinkage. It’s typically not enough to noticeably affect their intelligence or cognition. However, it means there’s more space between the brain and the skull. Therefore, the brain will move more if it strikes something (like a hard floor).
The veins that form a bridge connecting the skull and the brain also shrink. That means they’re more likely to be damaged in a fall. This can result in a subdural hematoma, which involves bleeding in the brain that needs to be stopped as quickly as possible.
Property owners have a duty of care for everyone
Seniors are more prone to falls than younger people for numerous reasons. Too often, they blame their own balance, mobility challenges or eyesight for falls that resulted from an unsafe condition – and property owners may be all too happy to let them take the blame.
The fact is that if the property owner was negligent in maintaining their property and that negligence led to the injury, seniors have just as much right to seek compensation for their medical bills and other expenses and damages as anyone else. Getting experienced legal guidance can be especially crucial to seeking justice and compensation.