Slip and Fall Injuries

Slip and fall injuries can be serious, and chiropractic care can help in many cases.

Legal Issues

Many people seek “slip and fall” lawyers when an accident occurs. In tort law, in the United States, the term “slip and fall” is a claim made that a “property owner was negligent in allowing some dangerous condition to exist that caused the slip or trip”. But a slip and fall lawyer is only one of the calls to make when such an injury happens. These types of injuries are “usually worth less than injuries from other types of torts”.¹ It will have to be proven that a property owner either didn’t recognize or fix a potential danger, or the owner caused the situation or hazard. In addition, the person who fell has to prove that they were not responsible for the accident.² While a slip and fall attorney may help patients receive payment for treatment, it is important to also make a call to a healthcare professional, such as a chiropractor.

Types of Injuries

The most common types of injuries resulting from slip and fall or tripping accidents are head injuries, neck, spine, and back problems, broken pelvis or hips, and torn ligaments and tendons. When the fall victim’s head hits the ground, traumatic brain injury may result, leading to “severe and lifelong consequences” as well as the need for rehabilitation, cognition and behavioral problems, and difficulty with mobility. Injuries to the musculoskeletal system, such as a slipped disk or broken bones, may lead to chronic pain or surgical interventions. Tears to tendons and ligaments could also lead to long-term issues. They may take months to heal and could require surgery.³

Chiropractic

For some people, medications and surgery are not the answer to their slip and fall injuries. Because chiropractors are experts in musculoskeletal problems, they can help patients who have trauma and misalignments, as well as muscle spasms, pain, and range-of-motion issues. Chiropractic care is drug-free and is based on seeking and treating the underlying cause of the problems. With adjustments and treatments, chiropractors work to help the body heal itself.⁴ Chiropractors might recommend ice or heat for back pain. Heat or ice for back pain could help some patients find relief from the initial injury and inflammation associated with the injuries. Chiropractors often see patients with neck and shoulder pain, headaches, lower back pain, sciatica, and leg and arm pain. Initially, they can treat patients to reduce the swelling and spasm with heat, ice, electrical stimulation, ultrasound, massage, and physiotherapy. Later, they can even offer a “progressive rehab protocol” to improve range-of motion.⁵