Prevention of Slip and Fall Injuries in California’s Elderly

Slip and fall accidents continue to be a significant factor in deaths and injuries in senior citizens. Last week, actor Robert Culp died after suffering a fall accident at his Los Angeles home. Culp apparently suffered a fall while he was taking a walk outside his home. He died from complications soon after.

According to studies, injuries from slip and fall accidents are the sixth biggest cause of death in persons aged 75 and above. Falls are also the single biggest cause of injury-related fatalities in persons of this age group. There are several common factors seen in fall accidents involving the elderly.

• Elderly women are at a much higher risk of suffering a sip and fall accident than elderly men.
• The risk of suffering a slip and fall accident increases significantly as a person ages.
• A significant number of slip and fall accidents in the home, are related to hazards inside the home.
• Fall risks are also linked to decreased bone density as a person ages.
• Decreased bone density also increases the risk of fractures and other serious injuries. In older persons, such injuries take a much longer time to heal.

There are several reasons why the elderly are more susceptible to slip and fall accidents than persons belonging to a younger age group.

• Elderly persons are much more likely to miss objects lying about on the floor, water spillage and other fall hazards in the home. Vision deteriorates as a person ages. Senior citizens are much more likely to develop disorders like glaucoma and cataracts that can impact their vision. In an elderly person, the ability to perceive visual cues around them and take steps to prevent a fall, is diminished.
• Older persons who neglect physical exercise may be at a much higher risk for a fall. That’s because lack of exercise contributes to lower bone density and muscle tone.
• Elderly persons are also more likely to be on medications like sedatives, that can lead to drowsiness and contribute to fall accidents. These risks may also be higher in persons on antidepressants and anti-hypertension drugs.
• Hazards in the house contribute highly to fall accidents every year. These include bad lighting, poorly maintained stairways, lack of stable guardrails, lack of hand grabs outside bath tubs and showers, loose carpets, and unstable furniture.

California slip and fall accident lawyers have the following tips to decrease the risk of fall accidents:

• Get hand bars installed outside the shower or tub.
• Repair cracked stairways.
• Make sure that walking areas are free of clutter.
• Install stable and strong handrails on stairways.
• Use tape to secure rugs or carpets to the floor.
• Make sure that all areas are well illuminated.
• Use contrast colors to paint rooms and surfaces, so it’s easy for an elderly person to perceive the difference.
• Place nonskid mats outside bathtubs.
• Avoid floors that are slick and can contribute to falls, like granite floors. Use floors that have traction and are slip resistant.

The Reeves Law Group is a law firm with offices throughout California dedicated exclusively to the representation of personal injury victims, including victims of slip and fall accidents. Please visit our website at trlglaw.com. If you desire a free consultation on a personal injury matter, please call us at (800) 644-8000 or email us.

The Reeves Law Group is not representing any party in the matters discussed in this posting.