Falls Are a Significant Risk for our Seniors

One of the more common calls we receive at the Warshauer Woodward Atkins involves someone falling.  Whether it is a patient falling in a hospital, someone falling during the job due to faulty equipment or someone tripping over a hazard in a poorly maintained grocery aisle, falls happen all the time.  Most of the time, they are due to no one’s negligence and, hopefully, do not lead to serious injury.  However, sometimes they can lead to serious injury and death, particularly in the elderly.

According to a recent report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) falls are a leading cause of injuries and death in older Americans.  In 2014, 29 million falls caused several million injuries and $31 billion in Medicare Costs.

There are several steps that the CDC report suggests to help prevent falls involving Seniors:  (1) talk to their doctors about fall prevention and report falls; (2) talk to their doctors about medications that could increase the likelihood of a fall; (3) seniors should have eyes checked annually; (4) seniors can participate in programs that can strengthen their legs and improve balance; and (4) make your seniors’ home safer by getting rid of fall hazards.  More information about the CDC report can be found here.

If you or a loved one has suffered a fall that you believe is the result of someone else’s negligence, please give the Warshauer Woodward Atkins a call for a free case review at (404) 609-1563.