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SLIP AND FALL RISKS IN THE ELDERLY

SLIP AND FALL RISKS IN THE ELDERLY

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, fall risks are a serious health hazard for the elderly. Senior citizens above the age of 65 account for a number of slip and fall-related accidents every year. One out of every three senior citizens will suffer a drop accident this year, and among senior citizens, falls are a leading cause of both fatal as well as nonfatal injuries.

In 2013, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2.5 million falls involved senior citizens, and resulted in injuries. In more than 734,000 of these cases, the person had to be hospitalized for treatment of injuries. Seniors who have suffered a slip and fall accident must get in touch with a Bronx slip and fall lawyer for assistance filing a claim.

The kind of injuries that result in a fall accident, like fractures, take a much longer time to heal in a senior citizen, which means that these persons need to take more care about preventing falls. A new study finds that exercise can help reduce the risk of falls in senior citizens. In the study, persons who took only vitamin D supplements were 16% less likely to suffer injuries in a fall. However, those who exercised and took vitamin D supplements were approximately 62% less likely to suffer injuries in a drop.

The increase in the senior population in the United States is something that hotels, restaurants, apartment complexes, grocery stores, supermarkets and other commercial establishments must take into account in their design processes. If you are a senior, who was injured in a fall accident, speak to a Bronx personal injury lawyer about filing a claim for compensation.

A critical aspect of driving safely in winter is to be prepared. That includes stocking your auto with an emergency car kit that contains essentials to help you stay safe and survive in deadly weather conditions during this time.

A winter emergency kit should contain the following items.

  • Blankets and warm clothing
  • Extra pair of boots
  • Torch
  • Gloves
  • Sand
  • Flares
  • Energy bars
  • Water
  • Jump cables
  • Tow rope
  • Antifreeze
  • First aid kit
  • Windshield washer fluid
  • Batteries
  • Fully charged cell phone
  • Basic toolkits
  • Flashlights
  • Knife
  • Extra cash and change

The time to build a winter car kit is right before winter starts. Make sure that your auto is stocked with these items, and add items to the kit as you believe necessary. The point of having a emergency kit is to ensure that you are able to survive in your car when you’re stranded in a storm for at least for a few hours, until help arrives.

In order to avoid a situation in which you are stranded, and waiting for help, go through the weather reports, and look out for any snowstorms predicted on your route. If there is bad weather predicted for your route, take an alternative route instead.

If you’re stuck in your auto, turn on your hazard lights, and do what you can to make your car noticeable. Use your flares. That not only helps rescue workers locate your auto, but also makes your car visible to other motorists, and prevents an accident. Keep the exhaust pipe clear in order to avoid accumulation of carbon monoxide fumes, and try shoveling.

If you were injured in an accident, speak with a Bronx personal injury lawyer about claiming damages for medical costs and lost income. Discuss a claim for compensation with a Bronx car accident lawyer.

Every healthcare provider and facility is held to professional standards that protect and empower their patients. Nevertheless, in the United States, medical wrongdoing costs over $3.6 billion a year. Innocent people are injured several times every day because of the negligence of a healthcare professional. These injuries are sometimes catastrophic; they often cause permanent disability and sometimes death, and a medical malpractice attorney‘s help is imperative. Medical malpractice frequently involves more than a single physician. Healthcare institutions, nurses, technicians and others can commit malpractice. Claims may also be pursued against dentists, chiropractors, and other professionals who provide healthcare apart from a hospital setting.

In New York, a lawsuit for medical wrongdoing must be filed within thirty months of the alleged malpractice or within thirty months of the last treatment for the same illness, injury, or condition that gave opportunity to the alleged malpractice. In some states, the “discovery” rule is an exception to the statute of limitations, but in New York, it only applies if a foreign object was left in a patient’s body. When a wrongdoing suit is based on the discovery of a foreign object, the claim must be filed within a year of the discovery of the object or within a year of learning facts that would reasonably lead to the discovery of the object, whichever is first.

If you do not file a medical wrongdoing lawsuit before the statute of limitations expires, you lose your right to be compensated for your additional medical care, lost income, and related expenses. If you’re a victim of wrongdoing anywhere in or near New York City, make the call immediately and let an experienced Bronx personal injury attorney evaluate your case as quickly as possible.

Medical malpractice claims are filed when a victim suffers injuries as a result of the negligence of a healthcare professional like a doctor, nurse, technician, or any other personnel in a healthcare environment. That may seem simple enough but is very often not. Under New York’s medicinal malpractice laws, medical negligence occurs when a healthcare provider violates the standard of care in the treatment of a patient.

Basically, for you to file a viable medical malpractice claim, you–and your medical malpractice attorney–must be able to prove the following.

  • The healthcare provider owed you a reasonable standard of supervision or duty of care.
  • He violated the duty of care towards you.
  • That violation resulted in your injury.
  • The injury caused you financial and other losses.

What does “standard of care” mean? This refers to a reasonably acceptable standard of care that a medical provider should provide to a patient one who’s suffering from a specific illness. The standard of care may not be the same for all. The standard of care could differ depending on the age of the patient, his medicinal condition, the illness he suffers from and other factors. Speak to a medical malpractice lawyer in New York about whether the doctor met the acceptable standards of care in your condition.

Proving that the doctor violated the duty of care that he owed to you is even more challenging. This requires testimony by expert witnesses medical experts, and other investigations to determine whether this duty was breached in your case.

Hospitals and doctors often argue that the injuries caused to the patient during treatment, were an unavoidable part of the treatment. In other words, one of the primary defenses in your case will be that the injuries could not be avoided at all. Your lawyer must be able to prove that the injuries were a direct result of the doctor’s negligence, , and that the injuries could have been prevented if the doctor had exercised better care.

If you have suffered injuries due to medical negligence, speak to a personal injury attorney in New York about filing a medical malpractice claim.

If you’re injured in New York City because of someone else’s negligence, speak at once with an experienced Bronx personal injury attorney about filing a personal injury lawsuit. When you pursue a personal injury claim in the New York City civil court system, sometimes the defendant(s) or insurance companies may make you a reasonable settlement offer to close the case. In other cases, if you reject a settlement offer, the case may proceed to the trial phase.

Some personal injury cases are heard by a judge; others are heard by a jury. Either the plaintiff or the defendant can demand a jury trial, pay the jury trial fee, and have the judge schedule the case for trial. The jury will then be chosen by examining prospective jurors and their qualifications. Both sides are allowed to challenge jurors if they are unqualified for reasons such as:

  • being related to one of the parties in the case
  • an inability to be impartial
  • an unwillingness to follow the law

Eventually, six jurors and several alternates will be chosen. A personal injury trial begins with the plaintiff’s case. Witnesses are sworn in, and the plaintiff’s version of events is presented. Evidence such as pictures or documents may be offered as exhibits. The defense attorney can cross-examine the plaintiff’s witnesses. After cross-examination, a plaintiff’s attorney can keep witnesses on the stand for “redirect examination” to explore issues discussed in the cross-examination.

When the plaintiff’s side rests its case, the defense presents its alternate version of the story, followed by cross-examination and redirect examination. When the defense rests, the plaintiff’s attorney may present evidence in a rebuttal to the defendant’s case. Then the judge instructs the jury to determine the outcome of the case based on the evidence and the law. If a jury cannot reach a verdict, the judge declares a mistrial, and the case may be retried with another jury at a later date.

Don’t be intimidated by courts or by courtroom procedures. They exist to protect your rights and ensure justice for all. If you’ve been injured by someone else’s negligence in or near the New York City area, let an experienced Bronx personal injury attorney handle your case, guide you through the legal process, and advocate on your behalf for the compensation you need and the justice you deserve.

The phrase “personal injury” is a legal term that can apply to civil liability cases including but not limited to traffic accident cases, medical malpractice cases, premises liability cases, and product liability cases. Personal injury is a branch of the law covering any wrong or damage done to another person in his or her person, property, rights, or reputation. A personal injury typically occurs when someone fails to act reasonably or breaches a duty of care, and that failure or breach causes someone else to be injured. When you’re injured by the negligence of another person in the New York City area, speak at once about your rights with an experienced Bronx personal injury attorney. Here are some of the most common examples of personal injury cases:

  • Car, bus, truck, and motorcycle accidents: These accidents are the reason for most particular injury claims. They may be the result of drunk driving, distracted driving, texting while driving, and other kinds of negligence. Personal injury accidents can also involve pedestrians, bicycles, boats, recreational vehicles such as ATVs (all-terrain vehicles), snowmobiles, and aircraft.
  • Medical malpractice incidents: Medical malpractice happens when a licensed healthcare provider is negligent and that negligence injures a patient. These cases are generally judged by the standard of care that another healthcare professional would have provided in a similar situation.
  • Premises liability accidents: Slip-and-fall injuries, dog bites, and swimming pool accidents are the common types of personal injuries suffered in premises liability cases. Home and business owners can be held liable for failing to maintain their properties safely or failing to warn others of known dangers.
  • Product liability accidents: Product liability accidents are caused by dangerous or defective consumer products including but not limited to toys, car seats, high chairs, motor vehicles, household appliances, tools, and prescription drugs. These items were defectively designed, defectively manufactured, or sold without appropriate instructions or warnings.

Regardless of the type of particular wound you may suffer, an experienced personal injury attorney can determine whether someone acted negligently in a way that was a direct or proximate cause of your injuries. If someone did, you may be legally entitled to compensation. If you’re injured by the negligence of another person anywhere in or near the five boroughs, discuss your legal options and possible compensation immediately with an experienced Bronx personal injury attorney.