With over 5.9 million seniors and 5.8 million kids 14-years and younger, it should be no surprise that “falling” tops the list of injuries in Canada. It makes sense. Seniors aren’t as nimble as they once were and simply walking on cobblestone or any uneven surfaces is enough to cause concern. Many seniors break or fracture bones even during a simple fall. Some are so fragile,
they aren’t able to help themselves back up and wind up having to wait until someone comes to help.
According to the Canadian Institute for Health Information (CIHI), in 2016-2017 close to one-third or more than two million emergency visits were because of falls. And out of the 654,000 accidental falls, around 152,500 of those injured wound up in the hospital.
The statistics are hard to ignore:
- There were nearly 100,000 more hospital admissions from falls in 2017 than 2016.
- The average hospital stay from falling was 14.3 days versus nearly half (7.5 days) for other medical procedures.
- The home is where the majority of falls happened in 2017. There were 114,000 falls at home that wound up in the emergency room.
- Nearly 8,800 of injuries were caused by falls on ice.
- Hip injuries topped the list of conditions due to falls, followed by lower leg fractures.
- 16,135 broken ankles, and 13,997 head injuries were caused by falls.
- Slips and falls often occur because of:
- Limited vision
- Individual and team sports-related injuries (i.e. bike riding, jogging, etc.)
- Jobs that require working at unsafe heights
- Hazardous working conditions (i.e. slippery floors, broken railings, etc.)
- Unregulated or excessive medication and/or alcohol consumption
- Loss of balance, lack of mobility
- Unsafe flooring (indoor and outdoor)
- Poorly maintained staircases
What to Do if You Slip and Fall
Inside your home
If you own your home, it is likely you have homeowners insurance that may cover related injuries, as most mortgage lenders require it. Homeowners insurance usually includes some medically-related compensation as well as liability. It is rare for an insurance company to make a payout without cancelling the homeowner’s policy, so most people avoid making a claim for a slip or fall at home. Your health insurance policy would be the most direct route to having some or all of your injury-related costs reimbursed.
At work
If you slip and fall at work, you are covered under workers’ compensation insurance. However, if you are “out on the job” and slip and fall on someone else’s property, you can sue the establishment and also collect workers’ compensation.
On public property
If you fell on a sidewalk, in a public park or any place that is owned or operated by a municipality or city, you are definitely entitled to file a lawsuit for remuneration. This includes slippery, icy or poorly maintained walkways, construction zones, poor lighting, obstructions, poor handrails, and more. When public areas are not properly serviced, they create potential hazards for everyone.
In some cases, the liability may fall on the responsibility of a contractor hired by the city or municipality. In which case, the lawsuit would be directed toward that company.
Wynperle Law
We are personal injury legal experts that specialize in finding the most effective approach for any lawsuit. Our mantra is, “The Key to Success is Being Extremely Well Prepared”, which means we can avoid any surprises by covering all of the bases in advance. We will ask you to fill out our Injury Checklist in as much detail as possible before we get started.
If you have taken a fall that resulted in an injury contact us today at (866) 688-3353. We are happy to provide a complimentary consultation.
