Every year, millions of Americans suffer from a preventable fall. Over 800,000 of these falls result in a trip to the ER. In 2016, 34,673 falls were fatal. Falls have become the second leading cause of accidental death in the nation.
What is surprising is that it is not just the elderly that are susceptible to these risks. Women aged 20-30 and children under 3 years of age are among the most at risk. Falls, while the most common cause of workplace fatalities, most often occur at home on non-elevated surfaces.
Below are some safeguards that you can take in your home to avoid injury:
- Place light switches at the top and bottom of all staircases to provide a well-lit area up and down the stairs.
- Handrails should be installed and used on all stairways.
- Place non-slip treads on all bare-wood steps.
- Do not leave objects on the stairs.
- Immediately repair loose carpeting on stairs and avoid carpeting with a dark pattern that will cause an issue with depth perception.
- Install grab bars on bathroom walls near the toilet, tub/shower as needed.
- Utilize non-skid strips or mats on the tub or shower floor and place a slip-resistant mat outside the tub/shower to prevents falls.
- Have a flashlight or lamp near your bed.
- Make sure that you have a well-lit path from your bed to the bathroom that is free of clutter.
- Keep cords out of your pathways.
- Make sure there are light switches at the entrance to each room.
- Create clear pathways between your furniture.
- Keep clutter off of your floor.
- Make sure your flooring is in good repair and there are no loose boards or rugs.
- Immediately clean up any spills on flooring, especially grease.
- Always use a step-stool with an attached handrail.
These are just a few of the things that you can do to prevent injury to yourself and your loved ones.
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Author: Tim Misny | For more than 40 Years, personal injury lawyer Tim Misny has represented the injured victim in birth injury, medical malpractice, and catastrophic injury/wrongful death cases, serving “Cleveland, Akron/Canton, Columbus, Dayton and neighboring communities.” You can reach Tim by email at misnylaw.com/ask-tim-a-question/ or call at 1 (800) 556-4769.