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symptoms to look for after a fall

Symptoms to Look for After a Fall

A serious fall can not only ruin your day, but it can also cause you serious injuries. If another person’s negligence caused your fall, you might have the right to file a personal injury lawsuit. Maybe your fall resulted from wet flooring or dangerous stairs. Regardless, you should always pay attention to symptoms to look for after a fall. In these cases, we strongly recommend seeking advice from a Phoenix personal injury attorney. You may be able to recover compensation for your injuries.

At Ybarra Maldonado Law Group, our Phoenix slip and fall lawyers have extensive experience litigating on behalf of personal injury victims. We know that trying to handle a lawsuit while recovering from serious injuries can be incredibly difficult. That’s why, when you work with our law firm, we do all the heavy lifting for you. While you focus on your recovery, we’ll focus on handling your case. To schedule a free consultation with our Phoenix attorneys, please call our office at 602-910-4040 today.

What Is a Slip and Fall Accident?

Slip and fall accidents occur when someone slips, trips, or falls and suffers a serious injury. In personal injury cases, slip and fall accidents occur due to the negligence of another person. They are one of many forms of premises liability cases. In general, they occur on someone else’s property, such as in a store, restaurant, or public place. Even seemingly minor conditions, such as torn carpeting and poor lighting, can cause someone to fall and suffer severe injuries. Victims of these situations deserve compensation for their injuries.

What Causes Slip and Fall Accidents?

symptoms to look for after a fall

The underlying cause of slip and fall injuries is negligence when it comes to personal injury cases. This negligence manifests in a few different ways, including the following common causes of slip and fall accidents.

  • Uneven or wet surfaces: Wet floors aren’t the only way that someone can fall while walking. Approximately 55% of all slip and fall cases can be attributed to one of the following conditions.
    • Wet floors from mopping, waxing, or collections of moisture
    • Potholes
    • Defective sidewalks
    • Torn carpet or loose mats
    • Defective stairs
    • Loose or uneven floorboards
  • Poor training: Many slip and fall accidents happen at work, especially in construction zones. Construction workers must be properly trained, as they work in a high-risk industry. When their training is lacking, they may be unaware of how to use certain equipment or tools. This can lead to serious accidents.
  • Neglect in a nursing home: Nursing home negligence is a growing concern in the United States. According to the Centers for Disease Control, approximately one in four people over the age of 65 falls each year. When negligence is present in a nursing home setting, this can pose serious dangers for residents.
  • Weather conditions: Even though nobody can control the weather, they can respond to it. In many places, local governments are responsible for clearing streets and sidewalks of snow and ice. If they fail to do so, they could be liable for someone’s injuries.

Contrary to what many might think, only around 3% of slip and fall cases are fraudulent, meaning the victim planned the incident or fell intentionally. Fraud cases are very rare in reality, which means most fall victims likely have valid claims.

Types of Slip and Fall Injuries

Certain injuries are more common in slip and fall cases. Regardless of how or why someone falls, slip and fall accidents can result in many of the same injuries that we see after Phoenix car accidents. Below, we list some of the most common fall-related injuries that we see.

  • Head injuries
  • Soft tissue injuries
  • Broken bones
  • Back and spinal injuries
  • Neck injuries
  • Tailbone injury
  • Traumatic brain injuries
  • Severe cuts and bruises
  • Facial injuries
  • Chronic pain

If you are a victim of a slip and fall accident, we encourage you to seek immediate medical attention. Even if you feel okay at first, adrenaline can mask certain symptoms. Additionally, some symptoms don’t show until some time has passed. Seeing a doctor as soon as possible can help you determine the severity of your injuries.

What to Do After a Fall

symptoms to look for after a fall

Immediately after a fall, there are certain steps you should take to protect yourself in case you decide to file a personal injury claim. Throughout the process, stay as calm as possible and take your time. Then take the following steps.

Assess Your Injuries After the Fall

Immediately after you fall, take a moment to feel for any pain or injuries. If you don’t feel hurt, try to get up off the floor. If you are hurt or in severe pain, stay where you are and call for help. Don’t try to push through the pain to get up right away. This may end up worsening your injuries.

Seek Medical Attention Promptly

As soon as possible, seek medical treatment from a doctor. Even if you don’t feel or see any symptoms at first, they may be delayed by the adrenaline in your body. Having a medical professional evaluate you for a fall injury is very important for personal injury cases. The sooner you can seek medical attention, the better. This will tie your injuries more closely with the accident and strengthen your case.

Watch Your Symptoms Closely

As we mentioned before, you may not see or feel any symptoms immediately. However, head injury symptoms may take time to show. The same can apply if you suffer a brain injury, broken bone, neck injury, spinal cord injury, or another injury. Pay attention to what your body tells you and document your symptoms in as much detail as possible. This can serve as strong evidence in a personal injury case.

What Symptoms Should I Look for After a Fall?

symptoms to look for after a fall

Slip and fall accidents can result in a number of different injuries that range in severity. After a fall, we recommend being on the lookout for the following symptoms of serious injuries.

Signs of a Head Injury

Most head injuries have clear symptoms, but they may take time to show. Some symptoms arise right away, while others may show after a few days. This is especially true if you have suffered a traumatic brain injury. Watch for the following symptoms of head injuries and brain injuries.

  • Loss of balance and other balance problems like vertigo or dizziness
  • Blurred vision
  • Disorientation
  • Irritability
  • Nausea and vomiting
  • Mild headache or severe headache
  • Temporary loss of consciousness
  • Sensitivity to light
  • Light headedness
  • Ringing in the ears
  • Difficulty concentrating or remembering things
  • Confusion
  • Fatigue

Many of the above symptoms can signal that you’ve suffered a concussion. Concussions should receive immediate medical attention, as they can result in further complications without medical help.

Signs of a Back or Spine Injury

One of the other common injuries that result from fall accidents is spinal cord and back injuries. If you have new back or neck pain after your fall, this may be a sign of injury. Watch for the following telltale signs of back injuries.

  • Herniated disc
  • New back pain
  • Whiplash
  • Severe pain
  • Numbness
  • Weak muscles
  • Shooting pain from sciatica
  • Nerve damage
  • Paralysis
  • Loss of feeling or sensation

Remember that you shouldn’t put off seeking medical attention, even if you think you only have minor injuries. Seeing a doctor immediately is imperative to the success of your case and for your recovery.

Other Signs of Serious Injury

It is entirely possible to suffer an injury other than a traumatic brain injury or a back injury. Victims of slip and fall accidents can also suffer from broken bones, internal injuries, and other conditions that require prompt medical care. Other symptoms to watch for include the following.

  • Broken blood vessels
  • Blood pressure problems
  • Internal bleeding
  • Stretched tendons
  • Swelling
  • Severe bruising
  • Stomach pain
  • Cuts and lacerations

When Should You Seek Medical Attention After a Fall?

symptoms to look for after a fall

The best time to seek treatment from a medical professional is as soon as possible after a fall. This is especially true if you hit your head or if you have severe pain anywhere. If you wait to receive medical attention, you may have increasingly painful symptoms, or you may worsen your initial injury. Prompt medical attention will help you understand how serious your injuries are so that you can decide whether or not to file a claim.

If you don’t seek medical treatment right away, you should absolutely see a doctor if you notice the following.

Your Pain Doesn’t Go Away

If your pain and symptoms persist for more than a few days, seek medical care as soon as possible. Certain medical conditions can worsen without medical treatment, which means your medical expenses may end up higher than they would have been originally. Waiting to seek treatment can also hurt your chances of securing a recovery after your fall.

You Have Sudden or Sharp Pain

If you feel pain that comes on suddenly or that is very severe, this could be an indicator of a serious potential injury. See a doctor right away for your pain to avoid potential complications and to generate medical records for your personal injury case. Sharp pain is often associated with broken bones and other serious issues. Even if it’s just for peace of mind, call your doctor to inform them of your symptoms.

You Have Symptoms of a Back or Head Injury

If you have any symptoms that could be attributed to a back, head, or brain injury, see a doctor right away. If left too long without treatment, these injuries can quickly turn into severe cases. Herniated discs, concussions, and other serious injuries should be treated as soon as possible. If you wait too long to receive treatment, the defendant in your case may argue that you allowed your condition to worsen on purpose.

Do I Need a Lawyer for My Slip and Fall Accident?

symptoms to look for after a fall

While you are not required to have a lawyer for your case, we strongly recommend at least scheduling a free consultation. Trying to handle a personal injury lawsuit while recovering from your fall can be extremely difficult and tiring. Let us handle the red tape and the legal footwork while you focus on your recovery. You deserve to rest and recuperate after your accident. Our legal team will ensure that your case is completely handled so that you can get back to living your life as you did before the accident.

Call the Phoenix Slip and Fall Lawyers at Ybarra Maldonado Law Group

At Ybarra Maldonado Law Group, we advocate for personal injury victims as they focus on recovering from their accidents. With years of experience under our belts, we have what it takes to win personal injury cases and secure a recovery for our clients. If you have suffered an injury due to someone else’s negligence, the Phoenix personal injury lawyers at YMLG are here for you. To schedule a free consultation with us, please call our office at 602-910-4040 today.

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