Bethlehem’s streets and sidewalks can become icy and snowy in the winter months. Throughout the rest of the year, especially in historic districts like Main Street, slate sidewalks and antique paving can become slippery from rain or can be a crumbling ruin. These risks, and many other dangers inside stores and houses, can all be serious hazards for slips and trips that can cause serious injuries.
If you or a loved one was injured in a slip and fall accident or a trip and fall accident, contact the Bethlehem slip and fall injury attorneys at The Reiff Law Firm. Our attorneys represent injury victims in Bethlehem and across the Lehigh Valley. To schedule a free legal consultation on your potential slip and fall case, contact our law offices today at (215) 709-6940.
Common Slip and Fall Injuries
Victims of slip and fall accidents can face a number of injuries, both mild and serious. It is common when you fall to scrape your skin at the point of contact, potentially leaving you bleeding and potentially even needing stitches or medical attention. Bruising is also incredibly common at the point of impact. However, other, more serious injuries may interfere with your life, force you to miss work, and cause you to high levels of pain and suffering. The following are examples of these types of common, serious injuries from slip and fall accidents:
Broken Bones
When people fall, they often try to brace themselves with their arms. This can cause you to break bones in your hand, wrist, arm, or shoulder. Additionally, falling hard on your side can lead to broken ribs, a broken collarbone, and other broken bones. Landing on your rear can damage the bones in your lower back, your hips, your coccyx (tailbone), or other bones. You can even face serious skull fractures, facial fractures, and dental fractures, depending on how you fall. Many of these require serious surgical intervention to repair.
Head and Brain Injuries
Aside from the potential bleeding and broken bones in your head, you could face serious damage to the brain tissue underneath. Traumatic brain injury (TBI) can result in serious complications from brain bleeds which could be fatal. Even without bleeding, TBI can cause permanent cognitive and physical effects, such as the inability to walk, other problems with motor function, memory problems, trouble thinking, mood swings, personality changes, and even loss of senses. More mild concussions can be serious, too, and multiple concussions or serious brain trauma can even lead to chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE).
Back and Spine Injuries
Falling on your back or your rear can do serious damage to your spine and the soft tissue in your back. Many back injuries from hard falls do not heal easily, and victims may face ongoing back pain and discomfort for the rest of their lives. More serious injuries may cause damage to the vertebrae, potentially harming the spinal cord within. Spinal cord injuries can result in tingling sensations, numbness, or complete paralysis below the point of injury. Especially if you fell hard on your back or landed on an uneven surface or obstacle, you could face paralysis or serious motor skill degradation after a slip and fall accident.
Chronic Pain and Central Pain Syndrome
Though this syndrome is much rarer, Central Pain Syndrome (CPS) is a disorder characterized by lingering phantom pain without any visible cause. CPS can develop after a traumatic injury, especially one involving injury to the brain or spinal cord. This nerve pain can be widespread or localized to a particular area. CPS can add serious pain and discomfort after an injury and be quite difficult to treat. Other victims of traumatic injuries may suffer other chronic pain symptoms which can last years or the rest of their lives, leading to ongoing suffering.
Suing for Slip and Fall Injuries in Bethlehem
Filing a lawsuit for your injuries is often the best route to receiving full financial compensation. The damages you suffer after a slip and fall can include damages for medical expenses, lost wages, pain and suffering, and other harms you faced.
Insurance policies like those issued by homeowners insurance or business liability insurance may cover these kinds of accidents, but you may not want to accept these payments. Insurance payouts often fail to include damages for pain and suffering and other portions of your damages, which could amount to losing thousands or hundreds of thousands of dollars in a settlement. Additionally, insurance may only cover a portion of the damages you deserve.
Talk to a lawyer before accepting any insurance money or settlement offers from the at-fault property owner or their insurance company. Instead, talk to an attorney about what your case might be worth and how you can maximize your damages by taking your case to court.
Slip and Fall Injury Lawyers Offering Free Consultations in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania
After a serious slip and fall accident, you should take your case to experienced personal injury lawyers. The Reiff Law Firm’s Bethlehem slip and fall attorneys represent slip and fall victims and their families. Our attorneys may be able to take your case and fight to get you the compensation you need for medical bills, lost wages, and pain and suffering. To schedule a free legal consultation, call our law offices today at (215) 709-6940.
