New York Slip and Fall Statistics

Statistics on the number of slip and fall injuries that occur each year show that falls are a serious public health problem. For example:

• The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reports 2.3 million emergency room trips annually due to falls, 662,000 of which result in the victim being admitted to the hospital.
• CDC data also show 1 in 3 three adults aged 65 and older falls annually. Fewer than half of these fall victims report the incident to doctors or other care providers.
• Women are more likely than men to fall, according to data from the National Floor Safety Institute (NFSI).
• Falls account for approximately 15 percent of on-the-job injuries in the United States. Falls can happen in all workplaces, and are the single leading cause of compensable on-the-job injuries in the trucking industry.

The millions of slip and fall accidents that occur each year happen in a variety of places:

• The CDC estimates that 234,000 people age 15 and older fall in bathrooms each year.
• Flooring materials and unsafe floor surfaces cause an estimated 2 million falls annually, according to the NFSI.
• Fall injuries account for 26 percent of all workers’ compensation costs, according to the NFSI.
• NFSI data reveal that as many as 60 percent of nursing home residents suffer a fall injury annually. Each year, almost 1,800 people die in nursing homes because of fall-related injuries.
• Consolidated Floor Safety reports that most liability claims made for injuries in grocery stores arise from slip and fall incidents. Falls are also reported as the leading cause of injury in hotels and other public buildings.
• Consolidated Floor Safety estimates that there are between 3 and 9 falls in the average restaurant each year.

The consequences of falls are serious, especially among older adults. The CDC estimates the direct medical cost associated with treating injuries caused by falls reached $30 billion in 2010, without taking into account other costs, such as lost productivity. The cost of treating falls is high because of the damage the body can experience as a result of a fall:

• Fractures occur in as many as 1/3 of adults over 65 who suffer a fall, according to the CDC. Falls cause 87 percent of bone fractures among older adults, and Preventing Falls in the Elderly has cautioned that 50 percent of seniors who are hurt as a result of a fall are not able to live on their own again.
• Traumatic brain injury is a common result of falls. The CDC indicated that 46 percent of deaths due to falls resulted from injury to the brain.
• In seniors over 65, falls are the second most common cause of spinal cord damage.

You are More Than a Statistic at Our New York City Injury Law Firm

If you or a loved one was one of the millions who suffered a fall injury, it is important to understand your rights under New York law. An experienced NYC accident lawyer at David Resnick & Associates, P.C., can help you to assess whether someone else was to blame for your fall and can assist in pursuing a claim for compensation.

Call us or contact us online today to learn more about how we can assist with your case. There is no charge for a claim evaluation and consultation.

Sources:

• CDC – Falls Among Older Adults: An Overview
• NY State Department of Health – Injury and Violence in New York State
• NFSI – Quick Facts

Author: David Resnick

Founder of David Resnick & Associates, P.C., a New York personal injury law firm in charge of providing exceptional and personal service to each of our clients in various areas including car accidents, slip and fall, wrongful death, construction accidents, and premises liability. David Resnick founded the firm in 1998 after working in large law firms where he saw a need for greater client communication and more personal care.