Potential Long-Term Complications of a Slip and Fall
There are many different ways to be injured in a slip and fall accident. Bones can break, skin can be pierced, and the head can suffer a trauma that injures the brain. Older adults have a greater risk for falling than younger adults, but it is important to remember that anybody can fall and be injured.
There are short- and long-term complications a slip and fall victim can suffer. Receiving prompt medical attention and appropriate care after the accident are key to preventing long-term complications, which can include:
Physical Disability
When an individual suffers a brain or spinal cord injury in a fall, he or she can experience a permanent disability like loss of hearing, vision, or sensation and control in a specific area of the body. A severe fall can also damage a limb or extremity and require an amputation.
Cognitive Changes from a Traumatic Brain Injury
A traumatic brain injury (TBI) does not only impact an individual physically. It can impair him or her psychologically and cognitively. A few of the cognitive complications a TBI victim can suffer after a fall include:
- Memory loss;
- Confusion;
- Difficulty multi-tasking or focusing on tasks;
- Impaired perception and judgment;
- Learning difficulties; and
- Slowed mental processing.
A TBI can also have psychological and emotional complications for a fall victim.
Mental Health Problems
Whether the victim suffered a TBI or not, he or she can experience mental and emotional anguish after a fall. Being disabled can cause a victim to suffer depression, even if the disability is temporary. A traumatic accident can also cause a victim to develop a phobia or experience anxiety about social situations, situations that mirror those surrounding his or her original accident, and simply about his or her life and future.
Reduced Function
A broken bone or other internal injury sometimes does not heal 100 percent. This is often the case with older fall victims. When an invididual’s injury heals incorrectly, he or she can suffer permanent reduced function in that area of the body. For example, an individual whose ankle does not heal completely after being injured in a fall might need to use a cane permanently after the accident.
Draper Law Office Can Help you Seek Compensation for your Slip and Fall Damages
After you have received appropriate medical care for your injury, contact our team at Draper Law Office online or by calling 866-767-4711 to set up your free, no-obligation consultation in one of our two convenient office locations: Kissimmee, and Orlando. We are here to help you make productive choices about your claim and pursue the compensation you deserve.
