Five Surprising Facts About Slip and Fall Accidents in New Jersey

Slip and fall accidents are often thought of as non-serious “whoops!” moments, or as jokes when a television or cartoon character steps on a banana peel. But a slip or trip that leads to a fall can also lead to catastrophic injuries.

According to New Jersey’s Department of Human Services, over 33 percent of older adults in the U.S. suffer a fall every year. One in three of these falls cause serious injuries. Younger New Jersey residents are also at risk for falls, especially when a workplace, store, or other venue is not properly cleaned and maintained in order to reduce the injury risk.

Here are five things you may not know about slip and fall accidents:

1. Falls were the number-one cause of death for New Jersey senior citizens in 2009, beating out car accidents by nearly double.
2. Older adults suffer 79 percent of all deaths caused by a fall.
3. One in four people who go to the emergency room after a fall are admitted to the hospital. Patients are admitted so they can be treated for serious brain, spinal cord, or other injuries.
4. On average, a slip and fall patient’s hospital bills cost each family $62,783.
5. In 2009 alone, New Jersey families spend over $1.1 billion for medical care related to slip and fall accidents. This number does not include the expenses in lost time away from work, transportation to and from medical appointments, or other costs.

At Lependorf & Silverstein, our experienced Princeton slip and fall accident lawyers are dedicated to helping clients who have suffered catastrophic injuries in one of these accidents. If you’ve been injured, contact us today for a confidential case evaluation.