Slip and fall accidents can sometimes result in traumatic brain injuries (TBIs) and/or paralysis. Complications from these conditions can be severe and life-changing. Building and property owners have a legal duty to maintain their property in a way that reasonably limits the possibility of someone getting injured. If the property owner’s negligence caused your accident, you could be entitled to financial awards.
Call the Law Offices of Anidjar & Levine at 1-800-747-3733 to learn how a Winter Park paralysis or traumatic brain injuries lawyer may be able to help with your case.
The Health Consequences of Slip and Fall Accidents
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) says falling as one of the leading causes of TBI-related deaths, hospitalizations, and emergency room visits in the United States. TBIs range in severity, but even a fall from ground level can cause serious head injuries.
According to Johns Hopkins Medicine, brain injuries are classified as primary and secondary and closed and penetrating. Falls are a common cause of closed brain injuries, resulting in bruising and tearing of the brain tissue and blood vessels. A closed brain injury does not break the skull, while a penetrating injury, like a gunshot wound, does. Closed injuries usually cause more severe neurological complications, including complete and partial paralysis.
A primary brain injury is the damage caused to the brain at the time of an accident or fall. A secondary injury refers to harm caused to the brain’s blood vessels, cells, chemical makeup, and tissue in the days and weeks after a fall. Complications like low blood pressure, lack of oxygen to the brain, and pressure on the brain can lead to secondary injuries.
Brain injuries can have short- and long-term consequences ranging from cognitive and motor deficits to changes in memory and behavior. A TBI may cause:
- Physical impairment
- Poor balance and coordination
- Decreased endurance
- Difficulty swallowing
- Vision problems
- Changes in hearing, smell, sound, and taste
- Paralysis and weakness
- Tremors
- Right or left-sided neglect
- Decreased cognitive functioning
- Difficulty reading, writing, and working with numbers
- Problems speaking or forming coherent sentences
- Problems identifying objects
- Decreased vocabulary and difficulty understanding speech
- Apraxia
- Behavioral issues
- Impaired social capacity
- Difficulty making and keeping friends
- Apathy
- Insomnia
- Depression
- Anxiety
- Aggression and irritability
People who suffer from a TBI may no longer be able to drive a vehicle or complete daily tasks, such as bathing, eating, and dressing, without assistance. They may never return to work or interact with their friends and family in the ways they did before their slip and fall accident. Physical paralysis may rob them of the ability to play sports, participate in certain hobbies, hold their family members, or run with their children. They may lose precious memories or the ability to form new ones. Some people do not survive a brain injury, while others remain alive in a coma or persistent vegetative state.
Treatment for TBIs Can Be Long and Costly
Some brain injuries are treatable. Patients could regain some functioning through rehabilitation. To recover, they may require a range of rehabilitation services to improve their speech, cognitive and mobility skills, social skills, and pain management. Some TBI patients may need vocational training before they can return to work.
Physical therapy may help some patients regain movement and relearn activities, such as grooming and toileting. Patients who cannot recover enough to care for themselves may require home health aides or nursing care. Financially, these services, combined with medical treatments, can add up. The CDC estimates that a TBI’s lifetime cost, including direct and indirect medical care, is more than $76 billion.
If someone else’s poor property maintenance and/or management caused your injuries, you should not have to bear the financial burden alone. A Winter Park paralysis traumatic or brain injuries lawyer with the Law Offices of Anidjar & Levine might be able to assist you with a settlement to help with your medical expenses and long-term care.
You may also be compensated for the physical, emotional, and mental toll your injuries have taken and how they may affect your future. Call our team at 1-800-747-3733 today to schedule a free consultation.
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Florida Slip and Fall Liability Laws
An attorney may be able to help you win an insurance settlement or a personal injury lawsuit if a property owner failed in their legal duty to maintain their premises, resulting in your injuries. Examples of negligence that may lead to a slip and fall accident include:
- Torn or ripped carpeting
- Uneven flooring
- Cracked sidewalks
- Obstructed walkways
- Poor lighting
- Failure to remove ice and/or snow
There are Florida laws that relate to slip and fall cases. Florida Statutes §768.0755 is specific to slip and fall accidents that occur at a business because of a transitory substance on the floor, such as fluid from a leak or a spill. The statute states that the property owner is not liable for injuries unless they knew or should have known about the hazardous condition or the hazard occurred with enough regularity that they should have foreseen the potential for an accident.
According to Florida Statutes §768.075, business and property owners are not liable for trespassers’ injuries. However, an owner may be responsible for a trespasser’s injuries if they acted with gross negligence or malicious intent. Examples of this may include purposefully setting up a trap or dangerous condition to catch or harm a trespasser.
Going the Extra Mile
At the Law Offices of Anidjar & Levine, we go the extra mile for our clients. We want to help you achieve the financial compensation you need to get back on your feet. Our Winter Park paralysis or traumatic brain injuries lawyers are here to offer you responsive legal care through every stage of your case. To talk to our team about what we can do for you, call 1-800-747-3733.
