Types of Injuries in Pittsburgh Slip and Fall Cases

After slipping and falling, even a young person can sustain permanent damage, such as a ligament tear or a spinal injury. Older individuals, or those who already have medical challenges, may lose their independence or even their life.

Understanding the major types of injuries in Pittsburgh slip and fall cases could help you reduce your own risks. When a fall does happen, get a medical exam and consider talking to an experienced slip and fall attorney about your options. Reach out to our team at Bordas & Bordas today to get started.

How Falls Injure Us

The impact of a slip and fall accident can cause fractures, including those in:

  • The arm and wrist, if you try to catch yourself
  • The knees, if you fold forward and land directly on the ground
  • The feet, ankles, and leg bones, when the body twists or bends them as it falls
  • The skull, if it hits the ground, stair, railing, or another object

Soft tissue injuries resulting from slip and fall accidents in Pittsburgh are potentially worse, sometimes leading to permanent restriction in movement. For example:

  • Tears in ligaments such as the ACL often require surgery and a long recovery
  • Internal bleeding from trauma to the organs or brain can be fatal
  • Spinal injuries, including damage to the discs, vertebrae, and spinal cord, can result in partial or full paralysis
  • Traumatic brain injuries (TBIs) may cause long-term cognitive damage

Some slips and falls can even be fatal. Older individuals may never fully recover from hip fractures, and brain bleeds from head trauma can be lethal to anyone.

Can a Survivor Recover Compensation for a Slip and Fall Accident?

After a slip and fall accident in Pittrsburgh, you may have the right to compensation for what you lost and your injuries. Whoever occupies and controls the property at which you fell, whether they own or rent it, could be responsible. However, your right to recovery depends on your reason for being on the property.

If the property holder invited people to do business on their grounds, those visiting are considered invitees. Diners at restaurants and customers at stores, as well as tenants outside their apartments and students at school, are all invitees. When invitees are expected, property holders must inspect the grounds for possible hazards and fix or warn against most issues that could cause falls.

Guests in a private home, incidental sidewalk users, and others with plain permission to be there are known as licensees. Property holders do not have to inspect the property for hazards on their account, but can still be responsible for concealed dangers that cause falls.

Why Does an Injured Person Need a Slip and Fall Attorney?

Without an attorney, you could lose your claim if the property owner’s insurance company asserts that you were too responsible for your accident to recover.

Under 42 Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes § 7102, if an injured person was partly responsible for their accident, they must accept a reduced damage claim or possibly lose their rights entirely. The property owner’s insurer is likely to “find” that a fall survivor was careless in hopes of denying the claim outright or offering a fraction of the settlement they deserve.

A Pittsburgh slip and fall attorney could take this pressure off of you so you can focus on recovering from your injuries. Our team deals with insurance denials every day and knows how to use evidence to work through them and get what our clients need.

Contact a Pittsburgh Attorney for Help Recovering Compensation For Your Slip and Fall Injuries

Recovering from the types of injuries in Pittsburgh slip and fall cases can leave you and your loved ones without the energy to press forward with a claim. Do not give up or assume that the insurance company is right.

Defending your rights is our business, and we are glad to do it. Our attorneys at Bordas & Bordas have secured multimillion-dollar verdicts against major corporations like Walmart and State Farm, and we want you to start your journey with us today. Contact us today to learn more.