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What Are the Most Common Injuries for a Slip and Fall?

Writer's picture: Tom FowlerTom Fowler

Slip and fall accidents are often dismissed as "minor" events. In some cases, however, they can lead to serious injuries that affect the victim for years to come.


The severity of these injuries depends on several factors, such as the height of the fall, the angle of the impact, and even the surface the person landed on.


This page evaluates the most common injuries for a slip and fall. It also includes more information on what to do after someone gets involved in such an accident. Our team can also provide more insight on common injuries in a pedestrian accident.


Discover the Most Common Injuries After a Slip and Fall Accident

Discover the Most Common Injuries After a Slip and Fall Accident


A slip and fall case may lead to many consequences that range from minor bruises to spinal cord injuries. Below is an overview of what to expect from the most common injuries and why they happen:


Broken Bones

Breaking bones can lead to chronic pain and long recovery times, depending on what happened.

Generally speaking, slip and fall accident victims can fracture their:



The severity of the fracture will depend on how the person impacted the surface they landed on. In most cases, this will lead to a lot of pain, as well as reduced mobility.


Severe injuries will require physical therapy to ensure the person can start moving again. In a few scenarios, such as serious hip fractures, the person may have to undergo surgery to fix the problem.


Most of the time, the victim will start feeling pain right after breaking a bone. Regardless of what happens, they should seek medical attention immediately to prevent the problem from worsening.


Head Injuries

Head injuries are among the most common consequences of slip and fall accidents. Depending on how the person fell, they could cause their head to hit a hard surface, leading to serious consequences like a traumatic brain injury (TBI).


A TBI is a very serious problem that happens when an outside force (e.g., hitting the head against something) causes brain dysfunction.


One of the most worrying factors about TBIs is that the symptoms aren't always immediate. Some people can experience delayed symptoms, so if they didn't seek medical help before, they may have a harder time recovering from everything.


With that being said, the symptoms of a head injury vary depending on the circumstance. They include:


  • Dizziness

  • Headaches

  • Seizures

  • Unconsciousness


In severe cases, a head injury can lead to the victim falling into a coma.


Victims should seek medical attention as soon as they can, whether they're feeling symptoms or not. This can save them from a lot of problems later.


Neck and Back Injuries

Even if a person doesn't hit their head after falling, they can still injure their neck or back. The most concerning issue about neck injuries is that they can extend to the back and spinal cord if they're not treated right away.


Spinal cord injuries, for example, can damage a person's nervous system, which can affect them permanently. In some cases, the victim may lose the ability to perform daily activities because of this.


As it happens with head injuries, neck/back injuries may not show symptoms immediately. In some scenarios, the symptoms may appear even after a few days or weeks. Victims should seek help as soon as they start feeling any symptoms, which include:


  • Limited mobility in the neck

  • Intense pain

  • Numbness/tingling in the extremities

  • Weakness in the limbs


Some of these symptoms are caused by the following injuries:


  • Herniated, ruptured, or "slipped" discs

  • Pinched nerves

  • Fractured vertebrae

  • Damaged tendons, muscles, or ligaments


Soft Tissue Injuries

While soft tissue injuries don't seem as severe as the previous ones, they can still affect a person's life for a while. They happen when the accident damages the person's ligaments, muscles, or tendons. This can also be true for common injuries for a dog bite.


Sometimes, the victim may get away with a minor strain, but others may experience tears and ruptures that will require immediate medical help.


The most common symptoms of soft tissue injuries include:


  • Swelling

  • Pain

  • Stiffness

  • Limited mobility


Usually, the treatment for these injuries isn't too invasive. It may involve rest, compression, or ice. Depending on how much pain the person is feeling, they may also need to undergo physical therapy and take pain relief medication.


Not treating soft tissue injuries can lead to reduced mobility in the future, as well as chronic pain. It's crucial to seek expert help as soon as possible. For more information, slip and fall attorneys in Des Moines may be able to help.


Cuts, Scrapes, and Lacerations

These are known as "superficial injuries." They affect a person's:


  • Hands

  • Elbows

  • Knees

  • Face


Superficial injuries often happen when there's debris, gravel, or other hazardous materials on the surface the person landed on. These materials can puncture or damage the person's skin.


In case of facial injuries, for example, the victim will have to seek help immediately. There are many areas that could get permanent damage, such as the teeth, eyes, nose, etc.


Even if the person only scraped or brushed their skin, they should seek help right away. Leaving the injuries without treatment could lead to an infection.


What Are the Most Common Reasons for Slip and Fall Injuries?

What Are the Most Common Reasons for Slip and Fall Injuries?


Slip and fall accidents can happen for many reasons. Most of the time, the main culprit is an environmental factor, such as:


  • Wet floors

  • Poor lighting

  • Cluttered walkways

  • Uneven walking surfaces


Each of these factors can affect the victim's compensation rate, so they should keep that in mind when building their legal case.


Bottom Line - When Should You Seek Help?


It may be tricky to deal with slip and fall accidents. Slip or fall events will often require immediate medical attention. Otherwise, the victim could suffer severe symptoms for longer, which can also lead to hefty medical bills.


In most cases, a personal injury lawyer can help victims seek justice for what happened. It's not fair for the victim to deal with medical bills if the accident wasn't their fault. Through a personal injury claim, they may get enough to cover most (if not all) of their treatment.


The team at Tom Fowler Law is ready and willing to help victims in Des Moines, Iowa. Those who were affected by a slip and fall accident should seek a free consultation today to get more information about how they can build their legal case.

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