Posted in Legal Advice
Personal Injury Lawyer
Your back is one of the most crucial parts of your body. Not only does it contain some of the largest muscle groups, but the spinal cord is the only way the brain and the rest of the body communicate. If you fall and hurt any part of your back, you may find yourself living a different life than the one you do now. What can you do to stop a fall, and what happens in the moments after? Learn about the mechanics of a slip and fall and what the impact is on your back.
What Causes a Slip and Fall?
Tripping or slipping and falling may seem like more of an embarrassment than a real physical danger. However, this is not the case. A slip and fall may impact your body in ways you did not anticipate. When you feel your feet go out from under you when you least expect it, you have little time to recover and stop the fall. Instead, you wind up trying to brace yourself as you hit the ground. The hard landing on the hard surface can leave bones broken and muscles bruised. The most common causes of slip and fall accidents include things such as:
- Ice
- Pools of water
- Grease
- Debris
When you come upon a situation where you feel like there is a chance you may slip and fall, you may want to avoid the area and alert someone to the hazard.
What Happens to the Spine During a Fall?
When you fall, your natural reaction will likely be to put out a hand to try and stop the impact. However, depending on the circumstances surrounding the fall, this may do little to nothing to protect the other parts of your body. Your back, for instance, will take the brunt of almost any fall. As stated above, the muscles in the back are some of the largest in the body. It is hard to do anything without feeling it in one of those areas of the back. As such, a fall will almost surely be felt in the back. However, it is the spinal column that is most vulnerable in a fall. That is because landing hard on your rear or back may cause a shift in the column resulting in herniated discs or a direct injury to the spinal cord. The consequences of a spinal cord injury may be catastrophic, resulting in permanent disability.
In some instances, the owner of the premises where you slipped and fell may be liable for the damage caused by your tumble.
