Hip Fractures from Slip and Fall Accidents

Slip and fall accidents are not uncommon, and although they don’t sound especially risky, they are often exceptionally dangerous. In fact, slip and falls often lead to exceedingly painful and slow-to-heal hip fractures that, when they fail to heal properly, can result in chronic pain and even permanent disability. If someone else’s negligence causes you to fracture a hip in a slip and fall accident, you need an experienced Chicago-area personal injury attorney on your side. 

The Statistics

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) shares exactly how common, dangerous, and costly hip fractures caused by slip and fall accidents are, including all of the following statistics:

• Twenty percent of all falls lead to serious injuries, such as fractures.
• Every year, more than 800,000 people are hospitalized due to fall injuries, and one of the most common causes is hip fractures. 
• Falls cause more than 95 percent of all hip fractures.
• The total medical expense for falls in 2015 alone amounted to more than $50 billion.

Hip Fractures

The Mayo Clinic advises that hip fractures are serious injuries that can lead to potentially deadly complications. Further, these fractures nearly universally require surgery – or even hip replacement – which must be followed up by intensive physical therapy. The following symptoms are closely related to hip fractures:

• Being unable to get up after slipping and falling
• Having severe pain in the hip or groin area
• Sustaining swelling and bruising in the hip area
• Being unable to put weight on the leg connected to the injured hip
• Sustaining an outward turn in the leg connected to the injured hip

Often, the intense pain associated with hip fractures immediately alerts the sufferer to the serious nature of the injury.

The Damages

The serious nature of hip fractures helps to ensure that the associated damages are extremely costly, including all of the following expenses:

• Medical Costs – From emergency care at and transportation from the scene of your slip and fall accident to surgery, hospitalization, physical therapy, and beyond, the medical expenses associated with hip fractures add up very quickly.
• Lost Earnings – Hip fractures are slow to heal and can keep you off the job for a long time to come. If your line of work is quite physical, such as construction work, you may never be able to return at full capacity. 

• Pain and Suffering – The physical pain and suffering caused by falling, breaking a hip, and going through the recovery process is extreme, but the emotional pain of suffering through an injury of this magnitude – as a result of someone else’s negligence – can be even more difficult.  

Obtain the Help You Need from an Experienced Chicagoland Lawyer Today

If someone else’s poorly maintained property causes you to suffer a hip fracture, Thomas A. Morrissey atThe Law Offices of Thomas A. Morrissey – proudly serving the Chicago area – is here to help. Mr. Morrissey is a skilled personal injury lawyer who dedicates his impressive work to helping clients like you obtain compensation that directly addresses their complete damages. We’re on your side, so please don’t hesitate to contact us today.