Russellville, AR Slip & Fall Lawyer

Slipping and falling might feel like an embarrassing accident that you should have avoided, but this attitude cuts against how severe these cases can often be.  People who fall down because of dangerous or slippery surfaces in homes and businesses often walk away with mild bumps and bruises, but some face broken bones, contusions, serious back injuries, and traumatic brain injuries that could affect them for years to come or keep them from work.

In many slip and fall cases, injuries are compensable, and a lawsuit or insurance claim against the responsible parties can get you financial payments for your medical expenses, your lost wages, and any other expenses you face.  On top of this, damages for pain and suffering can reimburse you for the intangible harms of an injury.

Call (479) 316-0438 for a free case review with our slip and fall lawyers today.

Injuries from Slip and Fall Accidents in Russellville, AR

If you were hurt in a slip and fall accident, you know better than anyone what your needs are now.  You could be facing medical bills, time away from work while you recover, additional needs to cope with a new disability, and more.  Many injuries from slip and falls are surprisingly serious to those who have not experienced these accidents, including the following:

Brain Injuries

If you fall and hit your head, you could suffer serious cranial trauma, including a potential brain injury.  While some head injuries could be simple concussions, even these might require a few days off from work and monitoring to make sure there is no more serious underlying damage.

With more severe head injuries, traumatic brain injuries (TBI) could result.  These injuries can lead to ongoing disabilities, potentially forcing victims to rely on others for care at home.  You could need help with errands and chores and be completely removed from the workforce.  Our slip and fall lawyers can help you calculate damages for these serious injuries and claim them against the at-fault party.

Back Injuries

Falling and landing on your back, twisting during the fall, or striking something on the way down can lead to very bad back injuries.  Trauma to the spine could cause damage to the vertebrae, potentially causing damage to the spinal cord underneath.  Even without a break, damage to the tissue between your vertebrae could cause the disc to bulge or swell, impinging on the spine.

When you face damage to or impingement on the spine, you could face numbness and pain in your lower extremities, difficulty walking, and other problems.  If the injury is higher up your back or neck, this pain, numbness, or pins-and-needles sensation could spread to more of your body, potentially even resulting in paralysis in the worst cases.

Even without paralysis or constant pain and discomfort, a back injury often results in ongoing back problems, leading victims to have to change their lifestyle or adding the burden of taking a day to recover after strenuous activity.  This might make it impossible to return to their career or start doing certain tasks around the house again.

Broken Bones

Falling down commonly leads slip and fall victims to brace themselves, potentially resulting in injuries to the arms, wrists, or collar bones.  Breaking a bone is quite common in a bad fall and is often even worse if you do not try to brace or catch yourself.  People who fall and cannot do anything to stop or catch themselves might face broken ribs, collar bones, or even hips and vertebrae.

In many ways, landing on your face is the worst.  Breaking facial bones, teeth, or your jaw can result in a recovery that takes months, potentially including surgery, dental implants, and weeks of eating through a straw.  For many, this also results in physical changes to your appearance, which can lead to high-dollar pain and suffering damages, not to mention expensive reconstructive surgery.

Bruising, Contusions, Etc.

Striking against an object or simply hitting the ground when you fall can leave you with big bruises.  These usually are not harmful to your health, but they certainly hurt a lot and can look bad.  Whether you call it a bruise or a contusion, these injuries often appear worse than they are, but the appearance can certainly add to your emotional distress over the injury.  This is especially true if you have to face the emotional situation of going back to work or school with half of your face black and blue for a month before it finally heals.

Calculating Damages for a Slip and Fall Accident in Russellville, AR

In any accident, the victim is entitled to damages for the harms they experience.  The term “damages” refers to both the harms themselves and the payment you receive for those harms, and the harms are usually divided into “economic” damages and “non-economic” damages:

Economic Damages

These damages are paid to account for the expenses of an injury.  When you get hurt and go to the hospital or see a doctor to treat your injuries in the following days after an accident, it costs money.  Especially if your injury requires surgery or ongoing care, such as with a brain injury or broken back, the care costs a lot more money.  You might also face other costs for physical therapy, mental health therapy to deal with the trauma of the accident, occupational therapy to get yourself back on track after a serious brain or spinal injury, and more.

Along with these expenses, you might miss time at work, resulting in lost income.  If you do not have money coming in, your life becomes much harder – especially when dealing with medical expenses and pain and suffering.

All economic losses – both in the form of expenses and lost earnings – should be paid in full in an injury case.

Non-Economic Damages

Non-economic damages account for pain and suffering, emotional distress, and other intangible harms.  While economic damages pay you back for the money you spend because of an injury, non-economic damages pay you back for the injuries and other consequences themselves.  Money cannot replace or repair an injury directly, but it can help reimburse you for the harm.

Call Our Slip and Fall Lawyers in Russellville, AR Today

For a free review of your slip and fall case, call our slip and fall attorneys at (479) 316-0438.