Most Common Slip-and-Fall Accidents and Injuries

Slip and Fall Accident Lawyers Serving Clients in North Charleston, Columbia, Clinton, and Myrtle Beach, SC

What are some of the most common slip and fall accidents and injuries in South Carolina cities such as Charleston, Columbia, and Myrtle Beach? According to a report from South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control (SCDHEC), slips and falls are the third most common cause of unintentional injuries in South Carolina. Fall-related injuries in the state include the following:

• Slipping and/or tripping on the same level
• Falls from different levels or heights, including falls out of beds and falls from ladders or down stairs

That report also emphasizes that, of the top five causes of fatal injuries among older adults (those aged 65 and older), falls are the leading cause of unintentional death in South Carolina. For people of all ages in the state, falls are the fifth-leading cause of death. In 2010 alone, falls accounted for a total of 114,747 unintentional nonfatal injuries in South Carolina. Falls were also the leading cause of unintentional injury for kids between the ages of 0-17, with 25,378 recorded fall-related injuries that were not fatal in 2010. How do these injuries compare county-by-county in South Carolina?

Fall-Related Injuries Tracked in South Carolina Counties

In Charleston County, falls were the leading cause of non-fatal injuries overall with 8,532 nonfatal fall-related injuries reported in 2010. That same year, falls were the fourth-leading causes of unintentional injury death among all ages, and slips and falls were the leading cause of death for seniors aged 65 and older. In Richland County, falls remained the leading cause of non-fatal injuries and the leading cause of fatal injuries among the elderly. Likewise, in Horry County, the highest number of non-fatal injuries among all age groups resulted from falls, while slip and fall accidents were the leading cause of fatal injury among those aged 65 and older.

What are the leading causes of slip and fall accidents? And what are the most common injuries that result?

Slips and Falls at Work and at Local Businesses in South Carolina

Whether you are working on a construction site in Columbia or are shopping in a retail establishment in downtown Charleston, you can suffer serious injuries that can even prove fatal. According to a National Safety Council (NSC) website, slips, trips, and falls are the second-leading cause of workplace death. When you slip and fall at work or at a local business in Charleston, for instance, what types of injuries are common?

• Traumatic brain injuries
• Back injuries
• Spinal cord injuries
• Broken bones

What causes these accidents to happen? According to a pamphlet from the NSC, a variety of factors can contribute to a slip, trip, or fall at work in Charleston or Columbia, SC, including but not limited to:

• Wet or slippery flooring from cleaning or inclement weather
• Inadequate lighting in a stairwell or other dark area
• Damaged carpet or flooring
• Uneven surfaces
• Unstable work surfaces
• Tripping hazards, such as electrical cords, in common walkways
• Cluttered walkways and areas with a lot of foot traffic

According to a fact sheet from the National Floor Safety Institute (NFSI), slips and falls are the leading reason for workers’ compensation claims, and they are currently the most common cause of workplace injuries among employees aged 55 and older.

Slips and Falls at Home in Myrtle Beach, Clinton, Columbia, and North Charleston

In many cases, slips, trips, and falls occur at home. Whether you live in a one-story house without any stairs in Columbia or in a second-floor walkup apartment in Charleston, you can be at risk of a slip, trip, or fall accident at home. Additionally, slips and falls can happen at the homes of your friends or other acquaintances, too. In those cases, the property owner may be liable for injuries resulting from a slip, trip, or fall accident.

The NFSI fact sheet emphasizes that about 50 percent of all accidental deaths that occur in homes result from fall-related injuries, and most of those accidents occur at ground level. In other words, they do not happen because a person fell from heights, but instead because a person slipped, tripped, or fell at ground level.

What kinds of personal injuries tend to occur when people slip and fall at home in South Carolina?

• Fractures, especially hip fractures
• Spinal cord injuries
• Back injuries
• Wrist and arm injuries
• Ankle injuries
• Head trauma

Falls at home tend to result from many of the same factors that contribute to slips and falls at workplaces or businesses.

Contact a South Carolina Slip, Trip, and Fall Lawyer

If you or someone you love got hurt in a slip and fall accident at home in Clinton or at work in Columbia, SC, you may be able to file a claim for financial compensation. An experienced South Carolina premises liability lawyer can speak with you today about your case. Contact the Joye Law Firm to learn more about how we serve clients throughout South Carolina.