What Are the Effects of a Fall on an Older Person?

Effects of physical injuries from falls, like broken bones and head injuries, can be so severe that they lead to:

• Emotional suffering
• Mental anguish
• Social isolation
• Depression

The worst fall injuries older people suffer can leave them immobilized for extended periods of time during their recovery. These weeks (and sometimes months) of recovery, whether in a hospital room or at home, can render victims isolated from friends, family, and society and leave them feeling stranded.

In extreme cases, victims may be bed-restricted, which can make them vulnerable to bedsores or respiratory diseases, including pneumonia, which can further extend recovery times and, ultimately, be fatal.

Common Injuries Older People Suffer After a Fall

As we age, we gradually lose muscle and bone strength, so not only are we at a higher risk for falls due to a loss of balance, but we are also at high risk for severe injury as a result of lost overall strength.

Examples of these injuries include:

Bone Injuries

Unfortunately, bone loss is very common as we age, leaving us more and more susceptible to brittle bones and osteoporosis. Naturally, weaker bones are more likely to break with the impact of a fall, and the resulting injuries can range from minor fractures to compound breaks.

Bone injuries requiring extensive recovery include:

• Spinal or compression fractures of the mid and lower vertebra
• Leg fractures, especially those of the thigh bone, or femur
• Pelvic or hip fractures

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), hip fractures are by far some of the worst bone fractures older people suffer. Most often, they require surgery, which further lengthens the already long and difficult recovery process accompanying bone injuries. As a result, victims may be bedridden, lose muscle strength, and experience even further bone loss.

Ultimately, that lack of mobility during recovery may make it difficult for victims to build back enough strength to be able to walk again. Unfortunately, many do not. Those that do may never fully regain their previous range of motion or flexibility, nor ever again be able to walk normally. Therefore, these victims may be confined to a wheelchair and opt to stay home, further isolating themselves.

Head Injuries

Due to loss of strength, older victims are also at risk for suffering head, neck, and traumatic brain injuries after a fall. These victims may not be able to prevent or minimize the impact of a fall by “breaking” it. This injury can be especially dangerous in slip-and-fall accidents where victims’ feet tend to slip forward, propelling the upper body and head backward quickly.

Depending on the flooring and speed at which the slip occurs, with nothing to lessen the impact of the fall, these injuries can have severe consequences. Victims can lose consciousness and suffer a coma and other serious brain injuries. Like bone injuries, these, too, can confine victims to beds and wheelchairs during recovery, enabling further muscle and bone deterioration.

How You Can Recover Your Injuries and Losses

Property owners can be held liable for dangerous conditions on their properties or for failing to maintain their property to reasonably safe standards. This type of negligence is called “premises liability.”

If you are an older fall victim and suffering complications from an injury or are the relative of an older fall victim who is, the property owner’s negligence may be to blame. If so, you may be eligible for compensation for your medical bills, lost income, and pain and suffering.

Filing a personal injury lawsuit for a fall requires following specific protocols and procedures, which can be complicated and are unique to each jurisdiction. Under NRS §11.190(4)(e), you have two years to submit your lawsuit.

Why You Might Want to Hire Our Team

At High Stakes Injury Law, we have a combined 60+ years of experience working for personal injury victims like you. We are familiar with filing procedures and can handle the legal aspects of your case so that you are free to put your time and energy elsewhere.

When you choose High Stakes Injury Law to represent you, you can rest assured that you have chosen a team that will go the extra mile. Our legal team is motivated and will fight to get the justice and full compensation that you deserve. We have obtained hundreds of millions of dollars for clients because we do not back down. We know what it takes to fight a tough case and are not afraid to do so.

Call the Attorneys at High Stakes Injury Law for a Free Case Evaluation

You deserve to focus on achieving a full recovery, or if your family member was injured, to help them do so. It is not fair for the effort required of a legal case to compromise the quality of your recovery.

Call High Stakes Injury Law today for a free, no-obligation consultation. Let us evaluate your case and help you hold the negligent property owner responsible for your fall liable.