Traumatic Fall Injury Lawyers Serving Clients in Atlantic County and throughout New Jersey
Slip and fall accidents can sometimes result in catastrophic injuries which greatly alter a person’s life. In some slip and fall cases, an individual suffers an injury and is able to make a quick recovery. In other slip and fall cases, the victim suffers catastrophic injuries and never fully recovers. The unfortunate truth is that the negligence of a property owner in failing to safely maintain their premises could seriously interrupt your life, leaving you with a lifetime of physical pain and significantly affecting your ability to earn a living. Sadly, some property owners are simply not concerned about ensuring that others remain free from injury while visiting their property. When they place place their own interests above those of others and you are injured as a result, New Jersey law provides you with a legal avenue through which to pursue justice and compensation. If you suffered a catastrophic injury in a slip and fall accident, you need a skilled attorney who knows how to prove damages and win your case.
Our New Jersey Slip And Fall Accident Lawyers represent individuals who have suffered a broad range of injuries, including catastrophic injury, from slip and fall accidents. We are ready and willing to take on your slip and fall case regardless of the injury sustained by you or someone you love. Call us at (732) 303-7857 or fill out our online form today to speak to a member of our legal team. We provide free consultations and our representation will cost you nothing unless we recover damages in your case.
Catastrophic Injury from a Slip & Fall in New Jersey
Beyond the obvious health consequences, a catastrophic injury suffered in a slip and fall accident may cause you to miss time from work and lose income while you rehabilitate and recover from the injury. In the worst cases, a catastrophic injury may leave you with permanent damage that makes it difficult or even impossible to ever return to work. This is likely to put an enormous strain on your finances and could negatively affect your ability to pay for basic living expenses. Depending on the extent of your catastrophic injuries, another long-term ramification may include diminished quality of life as you struggle to perform routine tasks in your day-to-day life.
Some of the most severe catastrophic injuries that slip and fall accident victims suffer include: head injuries, spinal injuries, broken bones and fractures, scarring and disfigurement, permanent disability, and wrongful death.
Head Injuries
The unexpected nature of most slip and falls means that the victim is often unable to shield themselves against making hard contact with the ground. When the victim is upended and hits their head against the surface below, the result can be a traumatic brain injury. Any kind of severe blow to the head can have devastating consequences, particularly because your head protects your brain from damage. The short-term effects of a head injury may include headaches, nausea, slurred speech, fatigue, difficulty sleeping, difficulty using limbs, and convulsions. Even a minor head injury like a concussion can lead to long-term health problems that affect you for the rest of your life.
A more severe head injury like a skull fracture can cause permanent brain damage and could even damage the arteries and veins surrounding the brain. In fact, many serious head injury victims never fully recover their cognitive abilities. If you suffer a blow to your head in a slip and fall, it is imperative that you seek immediate medical treatment – even if you do not notice any symptoms right away. Since the symptoms of a severe head injury often don’t manifest themselves until a few hours or even a few days after a slip and fall accident, you need to err on the side of caution and see a doctor for a proper diagnosis. Once a doctor determines that you suffered a serious head injury and require further medical assistance, you could be in need of long-term medical treatment that includes a lengthy period of physical therapy and rehabilitation. The costs of such treatment could be sky high and place a staggering burden on you and your loved ones.
Spinal Injuries
A fall that results in a back or spinal injury can be devastating to any victim. Some back injuries can cause disc bulging and nerve compression, affecting the victim’s extremities by causing numbness and loss of feeling. Other spinal injuries can permanently damage a person’s thoracic spine, lumbar spine, or cervical spine. The most severe spinal injuries may lead to quadriplegia or paraplegia, particularly when the injury occurs below the neck and damages the cervical spine. Even a minor spinal cord injury can lead to chronic back problems, including constant, intense pain and circulatory problems. Depending on the extent of your spinal injury, you may require assistance performing daily tasks for the rest of your life. Some spinal cord injury victims have to modify their homes for wheelchair access just to get around. Additionally, many back injuries require long-term medical care and treatment, including surgeries and chiropractic care. All of this can be quite costly, as can wheelchairs or other assistive devices that the victim may need. If you hurt your back in a slip and fall accident, it is important for you to seek a proper medical evaluation by an orthopedic surgeon or some other qualified doctor. Even if you just notice bruising that suggests soft tissue damage that might heal on its own, the bruising could indicate a more severe injury. Keep in mind, not all spinal cord injuries are apparent immediately after a slip and fall.
Broken Bones and Fractures
If you slip or trip and land awkwardly, the misstep could result in a broken ankle, foot, or leg. One of the most common and severe injuries sustained in slip and fall accidents is an ankle fracture. The ankle is particularly structurally vulnerable because it is unprotected by muscle or tissue. Other parts of the body that can sustain serious damage in a slip or trip and fall are the tibia, fibula, femur, and back. Although a broken bone may heal in the weeks and months that follow your accident, you could still develop arthritis and bursitis later in life. Moreover, if your fracture does not heal properly in the first place, you could find yourself dealing with a lifelong disability. Regardless of the nature of your broken bone or fracture, these injuies require medical treatment in the majority of cases and evaluation at the very least. Without proper treatment, a fracture could become much worse and you may suffer nerve damage. If you suffered a compound fracture, a delay in treatment could increase the likelihood of a deadly infection. Any treatment you do receive may include costly surgery and the insertion of pins, screws, wires, or plates. Even a relatively simple bone break or fracture could necessitate a cast, which may make it harder for you to perform daily tasks at home and at work.
Suffered a Traumatic Injury from a Fall, What can I do?
Catastrophic injuries as a result of a slip and fall do require different workup and investigation when compared with an ordinary slip and fall case. Liability in a slip and fall case will largely remain the same regardless of the type of injury the victim suffers. In all slip and fall cases, liability of a property owner is established by showing the property owner created an unsafe condition or allowed an unsafe condition to exist because the property owner failed to inspect the premises. However, depending on the injury, the damages portion of the case will vary drastically.
If an individual suffers a catastrophic injury as a result of a slip and fall, various experts will be necessary in order to properly prepare the damages portion of the case is prepared for trial. If the individual who slipped and fell suffers a catastrophic injury, a life care planner may be necessary. A life care planner is an expert who will analyze all relevant information and determine what medical treatment or other services are required to ensure the injured individual receives proper care for the rest of his or her life. The life care planner will additionally determine how much each of the medical treatments and other services will cost.
Another expert which may be necessary if an individual suffers a catastrophic slip and fall injury is an economist. An economist is hired to determine the injured individual’s past and future lost wages. If an individual suffers a catastrophic injury as a result of a slip and fall and is therefore unable to work, the individual may be able to recover past and future lost wages. It is therefore imperative that an economist properly determine the applicable economic losses and present them to either a Judge or jury.
How our Ocean County Injury Lawyers can Help
If you or someone you know has suffered a catastrophic injury as a result of a slip and fall in New Jersey, it is vital to seek help from a knowledgeable attorney who has experience handling slip and fall claims. The New Jersey Slip and Fall Accident Lawyers at our firm represent individuals who have suffered injuries to head, neck, spine, back, and other catastrophic harm from trip and fall accidents. We represent victims in Monmouth County, Ocean County, Middlesex County, Camden County, Atlantic County and throughout New Jersey. If you would like to speak with a member of our team, call our office at (732) 303-7857. An NJ injury lawyer is available immediately to discuss your catastrophic injury or meet with you and discuss your case.
