It’s far too easy to become a slip-and-fall statistic in this country. Each year, more than one million Americans suffer this fate. Most of us have seen fluid spills covering grocery store floors and know that our neighborhood sidewalks can prove treacherous if we fail to carefully watch our footsteps. Likewise, workplace floors sporting frayed carpeting can be a challenge. Finally, even our own homes contain numerous fall hazards, including children’s toys strewn across the floor or wet bathroom surfaces.

Fortunately, there are ways we can lower our chances of falling to our knees or breaking a leg. Simply reviewing common environmental and structural dangers can help us stay safe. We can also take sensible precautions before ever venturing outside or strolling around our own homes.

Common Environmental and Structural Dangers Tied to Falls

• Wet surfaces, whether indoors or out, will always pose significant hazards to pedestrians. On rainy days, must remember to dry off our feet before walking indoors.
• Poorly constructed or maintained stairway steps can cause even highly alert people to fall sometimes. Be sure to hold on to stairway rails and take note of various landing areas between sets of stairs.
• Uneven surfaces provide their own challenges. It can be hard to find city sidewalks and driveways free of cracks and crevices. It’s best to never assume you’re walking on a level surface. It’s also important to frequently glance down at the ground or floor in front of you, even if you need to be talking with others at the same time.
• Inadequate lighting can cause many injuries. Make sure there are plenty of functional light fixtures at work or at home. Consider carrying a small flashlight with you if you must climb stairs or walk around unfamiliar buildings while performing your job. Make a point of personally checking light bulbs and automatic lighting timers at least once a month.
• Older, poorly maintained ladders can easily cause a fall. Always insist on using newer safety ladders when making repairs around your house or handling required tasks at work. Ask a family member or co-worker to steady the bottom of any ladder you’re climbing. Before stepping on any ladder rung, examine the ladder to be sure that all of its safety features are in good working order. Never carry heavy objects when climbing up or down ladders.
• Lengthy electrical cords often create serious fall hazards in most homes and workplace settings. Avoid using such cords since it’s far too easy to trip over them. Make sure someone has the duty to inspect the common floor areas at work several times a day.

Personal Choices That Can Keep You Healthy and On Your Feet

• Always wear sensible shoes with minimal heels. Women who wear high heels will usually have no one to blame but themselves if they fall.
• Whether you’re unloading crates on a dock at work or taking grocery store sacks out of your car and into your home, be patient enough to only carry modest loads. A few extra steps can save a lot of unnecessary injuries.
• If you own or rent property with poorly maintained floor surfaces, get them fixed by your landlord or personally take care of the problem in a timely manner.
• Don’t expose yourself or others to needless injuries – or time-consuming litigation.
• Never park your car in an area covered with broken asphalt or cement. Also, try to avoid parking on dirt or sand surfaces since sudden rains can greatly increase your chances of falling when you return to your vehicle.
• Take all proper precautions when walking around construction sites or buildings being demolished. Try to only make such rounds with someone else along in case one of you becomes injured.

Hopefully, the reminders and precautions mentioned above will help you avoid ever suffering the pain and inconvenience that always comes with a bad fall.

Demas & Rosenthal remains one of Sacramento’s most highly respected and accomplished personal injury law firms. We’ve been successfully representing clients since our firm first opened its doors back in 1993. Every Demas & Rosenthal attorney takes great pride in obtaining the full compensation and complete justice owed to every client.

There are certain truths we have to face when there is an elderly or senior citizen in our homes. Women are more likely to fall than men and the risk increases with age. Those who did fall have a greater chance of falling again within the following year. Unlike those below 60, falling can be extremely dangerous because of complications like bone injuries.

There is a growing number of death related falls among the elderly, although it may not be directly caused by the fall itself. For instance, if the elderly who fell broke a bone, that person will be forced to stay in bed to recover. People over 60 have a harder time recovering and rehabilitating because they are weaker and have less muscle control.

Here are 5 safety tips to prevent unnecessary falls:

Make Sure There Is Sufficient Supplements in the Diet

One reason for a fall is osteoporosis where the bones are more easily fractured because they are more porous. To prevent this, make sure the elderly person has enough calcium and vitamin D in his or her diet. The calcium strengthens the bone while the vitamin D helps the body absorb the calcium better.

Exercise

Everyone needs to exercise, regardless of age. However, the exercise should correspond to the individual’s physical capabilities. Thus, for elderly, walking 15 minutes a day, swimming, stretching, bending, or even Tai Chi or low impact aerobics can help.

Have Regular Eye Check-ups

Two of the more common eye problems among the elderly are glaucoma and cataracts. It changes depth perception, peripheral vision, visual acuity, and even adjustment to glare. Some conditions may be treated with laser eye surgery or an operation. You can even get glasses, and make sure they are cleaned daily.

Know The Medication and Side Effects

Understand what each drug your elderly is taking and the possible side effects. This way you can schedule trips or even meals out properly. Always make sure there is no access to alcohol and that the expiration dates of the drugs are checked regularly.

Decrease Environmental Hazards

Too many elderly fall because there are no safety measures around the home or in public areas. At home, you can control these by installing hand rails or grab bars in the bathroom and stairs; taking out small loose rugs and carpets; improving lighting; putting rubber bath mats in the shower; and checking that the furniture around the house is steady.

When you go outdoors, make sure the elderly is wearing rubber soled or non-slip shoes without the deep treads; check for cracks, debris, stones, and small steps as you walk with them; and help them yourself if they refuse to use an aid for walking.

Contact a California Personal Injury Lawyer

Demas & Rosenthal remains one of Sacramento’s most highly respected and accomplished personal injury law firms. We’ve been successfully representing clients since our firm first opened its doors back in 1993. Every Demas & Rosenthal attorney takes pride in obtaining the full compensation and complete justice owed to every client.

Can we prevent falls as we are getting older? There are certain truths we have to face when there is an elderly or senior citizen in our homes. First, women are more likely to fall than men and the risk increases with age. Those who do fall have a greater chance of falling again within the year. Unlike those below 60, falling can be extremely dangerous because of complications like bone injuries.

There is a growing number of death related falls among the elderly, although it may not be directly caused by the fall itself. For instance, if the elderly who fell broke a bone, that person will be forced to stay in bed to recover. People over 60 have a harder time recovering and rehabilitating because they are weaker and have less muscle control.

Here are 5 safety tips to prevent unnecessary falls:

Make Sure There Is Sufficient Supplements in the Diet

One reason for a fall is osteoporosis where the bones are more easily fractured because they are more porous. To prevent this, make sure the elderly person has enough calcium and vitamin D in his or her diet. The calcium strengthens the bone while the vitamin D helps the body absorb the calcium better.

Exercise

Everyone needs to exercise, regardless of age. However, the exercise should correspond to the individual’s physical capabilities. Thus, for elderly, walking 15 minutes a day, swimming, stretching, bending, or even Tai Chi or low impact aerobics can help.

Have Regular Eye Check-ups

Two of the more common eye problems among the elderly are glaucoma and cataracts. It changes depth perception, peripheral vision, visual acuity, and even adjustment to glare. Some conditions may be treated with laser eye surgery or an operation. You can even get glasses, and make sure they are cleaned daily.

Know The Medication and Side Effects

Understand what each drug your elderly is taking and the possible side effects. This way you can schedule trips or even meals out properly. Always make sure there is no access to alcohol and that the expiration dates of the drugs are checked regularly.

Decrease Environmental Hazards

Too many elderly fall because there are no safety measures around the home or in public areas. At home, you can control these by installing hand rails or grab bars in the bathroom and stairs; taking out small loose rugs and carpets; improving lighting; putting rubber bath mats in the shower; and checking that the furniture around the house is steady.

When you go outdoors, make sure the elderly is wearing rubber soled or non-slip shoes without the deep treads; check for cracks, debris, stones, and small steps as you walk with them; and help them yourself if they refuse to use an aid for walking.

Demas & Rosenthal remains one of Sacramento’s most highly respected and accomplished personal injury law firms. We’ve been successfully representing clients since our firm first opened its doors back in 1993. Every Demas & Rosenthal attorney takes pride in obtaining the full compensation and complete justice owed to every client.

Child products sell in huge numbers, and one of the mainstays of this product niche is the booster seat, which allows young children to sit up higher and be fed along with adults and older children, among other things. However, not all of these products are safe, and one line of child booster seats sold by Target has been recalled due to eight reports of product failure and reports of injuries because of these failures.

According to the Consumer Product Safety Commision Web site:

“This recall involves Circo booster seats with manufacture date codes XJ0811, XJ0812, XJ0901, and XJ0902. The plastic booster seat is blue with green trim and has white straps. The manufacture date code is printed on the backside of the seat next to the consumer warning information. “Circo” can be found on a label located in the front of the seat.”

43,000 units have been recalled, and the reason is that the restraining buckle can come undone, leading to falls to the floor. The products are manufactured in China and the CPSC has advised consumers to immediately stop using this product. If your child has suffered as a result of the use of this defective product, you need to take action. Contact the defective products attorneys at Demas & Rosenthal today to schedule a free initial consultation, as the firm has a long history of holding manufacturers of dangerous products accountable.

Many of us use ladders around our homes so often that we rarely think twice about carefully positioning and climbing them. Instead, we often just pull one out of our garage or borrow one from a neighbor so we can quickly repair roof shingles, paint the upstairs window shutters or clean the leaves out of our roof gutters. When you’ve climbed ladders all of your life and never been injured, you tend to just assume you’ll always be safe.

Sadly, as one recent article published by MedicalNewsToday.com indicated, nonfatal ladder injuries increased by 50% between 1990 and 2005. Furthermore, a January 2008 Home Safety Council publication noted that each year, “nearly 5.1 million people in America are injured by falls occurring in and around the home.” Click here to read more

These numbers indicate that falls cause “one-third of all unintentional home injury deaths, and more than 40 percent of all nonfatal home injuries.” Read more here

These statistics should motivate all of us to take every safety precaution possible when using ladders at home. The following list contains a number of helpful tips for protecting ourselves while using ladders:

• Carefully examine each ladder to be sure all of its parts are working properly before every placing your foot on the first rung. Also, make sure all of its key parts are present and properly fastened to it. Lock the ladder in place so it can’t suddenly shift its position. Keep a regular maintenance schedule for the ladder posted in your home or garage and stick to it.
• Make sure the ladder you’re about to use can handle your weight and was designed for your intended purpose.
• Whenever possible, avoid carrying anything in your hands when climbing a ladder. Use other safe means for moving work materials up to the roof or other destination.
• Should you start to fall or slip, you’ll need both hands to steady yourself and stay on the ladder. Wearing a tool belt can help you keep your hands free; be sure each tool is safely fastened to it so it can’t swing outwards and cause a hazard.
• Only use a ladder on firm, level ground. Any other surface can pose a serious threat to your balance.
• Whenever possible, fasten a ladder to a safe and secure surface.
• Never climb a ladder during high winds or near power lines. Always have someone else steady the ladder whenever possible. Try to position thick mats or other appropriate surfaces beneath your work area so if you do fall, you’ll hit a surface softer than hard ground.
• Never lean a ladder against a moveable object like a weak tree branch or other unstable item.
• Make sure you’re using the appropriate ladder for each intended use. Ask yourself or an employee at a home improvement store if your desired task requires a metal, wood or fiberglass ladder. Added Note: Be sure to purchase appropriate ladders for your family in case a fire forces you to exit your home upstairs. Next, immediately teach everyone how to properly use the purchased ladder(s) – or who they should seek out to help them if they are too young or infirm to position and climb down a ladder unassisted.
• Observe the commonly known “four-to-one rule:” A ladder needs to be based one foot away from whatever the top of the ladder is leaning against for every four feet of its height. You can find additional information about safely using ladders on the Web site of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Just type the word “ladders” into the search box at: www.cdc.gov
• If you’re using an extension ladder, you’ll need to raise the ladder to the proper height and then securely lock the sides. If you’re using a step ladder, be sure you’ve locked the spreader before stepping on to it.
• Do not let children use a ladder for anything other than a playhouse, assuming it came with one. Yet even in that situation, you should first inspect the ladder to be sure it’s been safely designed and always remain nearby and observe your children while they use any type of ladder. For their safety, it’s probably best to forbid the use of any ladders away from home. You can never know what level of supervision, if any, will be offered elsewhere. Of course, properly supervised school playgrounds may provide the one safe exception to such a rule.
• Only wear shoes with appropriate soles, like rubber, that can grip the rungs of the ladder. It’s far too easy to slip off one when wearing loafers or other shoes that have completely worn out, slick soles.
• Never allow more than one person at a time on a ladder. When you’re climbing one, keep yourself centered between the rungs. Never climb onto the two top rungs.

If you’ll observe each of these listed safety precautions, you should be able to avoid a ladder injury while safely making the home improvements you need. Keep in mind that some ladders are defective and you have been injured from a defective ladder, contact an experienced personal injury attorney immediately.

Americans of all ages are at risk for debilitating falls, especially young children and adults age 65 and older. According to Safe Kids USA, “[children suffer] more than 2.3 million fall-related injuries” each year and “approximately 103 children die” annually from those injuries. Click here for more. Stated differently, “Falls are the leading cause of unintentional injury for all children ages 14 years and under.” Learn more about safe kids.

Adults over age 65 also experience their share of falls annually. In fact, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, “Every 18 seconds, an older adult is treated in an emergency department for a fall, and every 35 minutes someone in this population dies as a result of their injuries.” Read More

Since many slip-and-fall [or “falling”] accidents are preventable, we can each take proactive steps to ensure our own safety. We cannot just rely on busy employers, groundskeepers and storekeepers to constantly survey their property, looking for unsafe conditions.

The following list of precautionary tips should help protect all of us from unwanted slips and falls:

• Only walk where there is adequate lighting. Don’t be afraid to politely ask the person in charge of the premises to provide you with proper lighting — if the area you’d like to enter appears to be too dark.
• Make sure you’re wearing shoes with a non-slick sole that can provide you with proper traction on most floor surfaces. Although tennis shoes aren’t proper attire in many settings, think about the floor grip they offer when trying to buy a safe pair of shoes.
• Never carry so many items that you cannot easily look down and see what type of floor service is below you — or just ahead.
• Ask a co-worker or friend to steady any ladder you climb. It’s just too easy to gain a sense of false confidence on a ladder, only to have it slip out from underneath you as you shift your weight on it.
• Never work so many shifts that you become too drowsy to easily maintain your balance while walking or performing other tasks. Likewise, never trust your footing after drinking or taking powerful prescription medications.
• When walking outside or in unknown areas, frequently check the street or ground surface to be sure it’s level. Gravel, pot holes and other surface problems can cause you to suddenly stumble and fall.
• When ice or other challenging weather conditions exist, avoid going out if you can wait until better weather returns. If you must venture out, wear shoes with soles specifically designed for such weather.
• Keep in mind that grocery stores often harbor rather slick floor surfaces. Always look where you’re going and carefully walk around any orange cones or other markers indicating there’s a wet floor or spill.
• If you’re 65 or older and already have a tendency to fall, seek out special physical rehabilitative care that can help you maintain better balance. Ask your doctor if you need a cane or other medical device to help you walk in a steady fashion.
• If you have a chronic health condition, be aware that you may be at greater risk for a fall than the rest of the population – regardless of your age. Speak with your doctor about any resources that may increase your strength, balance and overall stability.

If we each keep all of these tips in mind, we should be able to greatly lessen the chances of falling and injuring ourselves.

Surely there are steps we all can take to better protect ourselves so that these numbers will drop dramatically.