Many people in the greater Twin Cities area have probably tripped or slipped and fallen down at least once in their adult lives. Most of the time, thankfully, the result is a little soreness and some embarrassment.
Falls often are debilitating
However, too many people just are not so lucky. They suffer serious injuries after a slip and fall.
In fact, serious slips and falls often lead to spinal cord injuries. As many Minnesota residents know, a worst case scenario after a spinal cord injury is paralysis, sometimes from the neck down. An injury of this degree may mean the victim requires around-the-clock medical care.
Slips and falls often cause spinal cord injuries, especially in older adults
Many slips and falls do lead to spinal cord injuries. Next to car accidents, falls are the most common cause of injuries to the spine. Falls contribute to over 30%, close to 1 out of 3, new spinal cord injuries every year.
Among older adults, that is, those over 65, falls are the most common cause of spinal cord injuries.
Slips and falls are often preventable
It is a rare day when a person, or business, tries intentionally to make a person fall and injure his or her spine.
However, Minnesota businesses, and all landowners for that matter, have an obligation to make their premises safe by taking reasonable steps to prevent falls. By way of example, this means clearing wet spots on floors and repairing damaged safety equipment.
If a person in White Bear Lake or the other Minnesota suburbs falls on someone else’s property, they may have legal options for getting compensation for their losses. Sometimes, as in the case of spinal cord injuries, these losses could amount to hundreds of thousands of dollars.