Common Injuries from Slip and Fall Accidents

Slip and fall accidents catch people off guard. One moment you’re walking, and the next, you’re on the ground in pain. These incidents can happen just about anywhere slick grocery store floor, a broken sidewalk, or a stairwell with poor lighting.

And the injuries aren’t always minor. Broken bones, concussions, and serious joint damage are all common outcomes. Recovery isn’t just painful can also be slow, expensive, and disruptive to your everyday life.

Each year, millions of people across the U.S. are treated for injuries related to falls. The CDC reports that falls are one of the top reasons older adults end up in the hospital, especially for things like head injuries or hip fractures.

If your fall happened because someone failed to keep their property safe, you may be able to take legal action. At Selingo Guagliardo, we work with people across Northeastern Pennsylvania to pursue compensation for medical costs, lost work, and more.

Why Slip and Fall Injuries Shouldn’t Be Ignored

In places like Northeastern Pennsylvania, slip and fall accidents are pretty routine, especially during the winter when sidewalks get icy or after heavy rain. But the impact can be even if the fall initially doesn’t seem serious.

Some injuries take time to show up. What feels like a sore ankle could be a torn ligament. That bump on your head might be more than just a bruise could be a concussion. It’s hard to tell how serious things are without seeing a doctor. And if you wait too long, the insurance company might argue the injury came from something else.

These accidents aren’t just a personal issue. They’re a national one. The CDC says falls are the leading cause of traumatic brain injuries in the U.S. Every year, hundreds of thousands of people end up in the hospitalmany with broken hips or head injuries.

In Pennsylvania, the law allows you to hold property owners accountable if they let dangerous conditions go unchecked. But your window to act is limited. Don’t wait until the damage gets worse. Getting medical care and speaking with a lawyer early on can make all the difference.

Most Common Slip and Fall Injuries

Slip and fall accidents don’t all end the same way. Some people walk away with just a scrape. Others end up facing serious injuries that change their daily lives. Below, we’ll review some of the most common injuries people suffer in falls, what they mean for your recovery, and how they might affect a potential legal case.

Broken Bones and Fractures

When someone hits the ground hard, broken bones are often the result. It’s common to see fractures in the wrist, ankle, or hip, especially if the person tries to catch themselves with their hands or lands at an odd angle.

Hip Fractures in Older Adults

Older adults tend to face a higher risk of serious injury because their bones are often more fragile. A fractured hip usually means surgery and a long recovery process. In many cases, seniors don’t fully regain their mobility before the fall, leading to more health issues and increasing the chance of falling again.

Wrist and Ankle Breaks from Bracing Falls

It’s instinct to put your hands out when you start to fall. But that reaction can lead to broken wrists or forearms. Ankles take a hit too, especially if your foot twists or catches the ground the wrong way. These fractures often need a cast or even surgery to heal properly.

Recovery isn’t quick. Healing can take several weeks or even months, and some people are left with long-term pain or limited movement. If your fall happened because someone didn’t take care of their property, you might have grounds to recover costs for treatment and lost income.

Sprains and Strains

Sprains and strains happen when a fall puts too much pressure on your joints or muscles, causing the ligaments, tendons, or muscles to stretch or tear.

Ligament vs. Muscle Injuries Explained

• Sprains affect ligaments (like twisted ankles or knees).

• Strains impact muscles or tendons (common in the lower back or shoulders).

These injuries usually include swelling, pain, and trouble moving the affected area. A bad sprain might need a brace or even surgery. Strains can take time to heal and often call for physical therapy. It’s easy to brush them off, but if you don’t treat them properly, they can turn into long-term problems like instability or ongoing pain.

Head Injuries, Concussions, and TBIs

Head injuries are one of the most serious things that can happen during a fall. If you hit your head hard enough, it could lead to a concussion or something more severe, like a traumatic brain injury.

One of the tricky parts is that symptoms don’t always show up right away. You might initially feel fine, only to notice dizziness, confusion, or nausea hours later. The Mayo Clinic points out that these delayed signs can be easy to miss, which makes it even more important to pay attention to how you feel.

Even a mild concussion can have lasting effects. More serious brain injuries might require surgery and could lead to permanent memory or thinking problems. If you’ve hit your head in a fall, don’t wait. Get checked out as soon as possible. Quick treatment can make a big difference for your health and any legal action you might need to take later.

Back and Spinal Cord Injuries

Falls often lead to painful back injuries, especially if you land awkwardly or jolt your spine.

Herniated Discs and Nerve Damage

A herniated disc happens when the soft cushion between the bones in your spine slips out of place or tears. When that disc presses on nearby nerves, it can cause sharp back pain, numbness, or tingling that shoots down your legs.

More serious falls can do even more damage, sometimes fracturing the bones in your spine or harming the spinal cord itself. In rare but severe cases, this kind of injury can lead to partial or full paralysis. Treatment often involves imaging tests like MRIs, possibly surgery, and a long period of rehab.

If you’re dealing with this kind of injury, it’s essential to keep track of your symptoms and get a clear diagnosis. That medical documentation plays a key role if you decide to take legal action.

Cuts, Abrasions, and Lacerations

Not every injury from a fall happens inside the body. If you hit pavement or something sharp on the way down, you might end up with scrapes, cuts, or more serious lacerations.

Some wounds are minor and can be handled with basic first aid. But deeper cuts might need stitches, antibiotics, or even surgery, depending on the severity. There’s also the chance of infection, especially if dirt or debris gets into the wound. And if the cut is on your face, scarring can be a real concern.

If you’re injured in a fall, it’s smart to take photos of your wounds and get them checked by a doctor. That kind of documentation can make a difference if you later decide to file a claim.

Bruises and Contusions

Bruises are one of the most common injuries after a fall. They happen when small blood vessels under the skin break, usually from the force of impact. Most of the time, they’re not serious and fade with rest and ice.

But not all bruises are harmless. A large or unusually painful bruise, especially on your stomach or head, could indicate something more profound, like internal bleeding or a bone injury. If the pain worsens or the bruise spreads, getting checked out is a good idea.

Bruises also serve as clear, visible proof that something happened. Taking photos and tracking how long they last can be helpful if you’re considering a legal claim.

Shoulder Injuries

Falls can dislocate shoulders or tear muscles around the joint, especially if you fall sideways or brace with your arm.

Common injuries include:

• Dislocations, where the upper arm bone pops out of its socket
  
  

• Rotator cuff tears, which limit shoulder strength and movement
  
  

These injuries may require slings, physical therapy, or surgery. Pain can persist long after treatment, making everyday tasks, like dressing or lifting, difficult.

Hip Injuries (Not Just Fractures)

You don’t have to break a bone to suffer a serious hip injury in a fall. Even without a fracture, a hard impact can bruise the joint, damage soft tissue, or cause a labral tear. This is especially true for older adults, who are more likely to be affected by these injuries.

Hip problems can make it harder to move around and often cause a loss of balance, making another fall more likely. The pain and stiffness can last weeks or longer. People sometimes need physical therapy or mobility aids like a cane or walker to get back on their feet, which can add to the recovery cost.

Knee Injuries

Falls can twist, bruise, or hyperextend the knee. Common injuries include:

• Torn ligaments (like ACL or MCL)
  
  

• Meniscus tears (cartilage between the knee bones)
  
  

Injuries to the knee often cause swelling, stiffness, and a feeling that the joint isn’t stable. Some cases can be managed with a brace and rest, but more serious damage, like torn ligaments, might require surgery and a long physical therapy regimen.

Recovery isn’t always quick, and for some, the pain or limited movement never entirely goes away. That can be especially tough for people whose jobs require them to be on their feet all day.

Facial and Dental Injuries

If you fall face-first, the damage can be serious. It’s not uncommon to see broken teeth, a split lip, or even a fractured cheekbone or jaw from the impact.

Treating these injuries often means more than a quick fix. You might need stitches, dental work, or in some cases, surgery. And because the face is so visible, the emotional toll can be just as heavy as the physical one, especially if there’s scarring or long-term changes to your appearance.

The cost of this kind of care adds up fast. If your fall happened because someone else was negligent, those expenses should be part of your claim.

What to Do After a Slip and Fall Accident

It’s easy to feel overwhelmed after a slip and fall. One minute you’re going about your day; the next, you’re hurt and trying to understand what happened. What you do next, right after the fall and in the following days, can significantly affect how well you recover and whether you can take legal action later.

Steps to Protect Your Health and Legal Rights

1. Get Medical Attention Immediately
Even if you think you're fine, see a doctor. Some injuries take time to show symptoms, especially concussions, internal injuries, or soft-tissue damage. Medical records also help tie your injuries directly to the fall, strengthening your case.

2. Document Everything

• Take photos of the scene, your injuries, and anything that contributed to the fall (like wet floors, ice, or uneven pavement).

• Ask for a copy of any incident report, especially if the fall happened at a business or rental property.

• Get names and contact info for any witnesses.

3. Don’t Talk to Insurance Adjusters Alone
The property owner’s insurance company may contact you quickly. Before talking to an attorney, don’t give a recorded statement or accept a settlement offer. Their goal is to protect their bottom line, not your best interest.

For a detailed checklist, read our guide on documenting your injuries after an accident.

Your Legal Rights and Compensation in Pennsylvania

Pennsylvania law might give you the right to seek compensation if you slipped and fell because a property owner didn’t fix or warn you about a hazard. But it’s not automatic. To move forward with a claim, you’ll need to understand how premises liability works and what has to be proven to hold someone legally responsible.

How Premises Liability Works in PA

In Pennsylvania, property owners and those in charge of a space are legally responsible for keeping things reasonably safe for visitors. That means fixing or warning people about obvious dangers, like icy sidewalks, wet floors, broken steps, or poor lighting.

It comes down to proving negligence if you’re considering filing a claim. You’ll need to show that the owner knew about the hazard or should have known and didn’t take steps to fix it. You also have to connect that failure directly to your injury.

What You Can Recover

Victims can pursue compensation for:

• Medical Bills
  Coverage for ER visits, surgeries, follow-up care, rehab, and future medical costs tied to your injury.

• Lost Wages
  If your injury forced you to miss work or impacted your ability to work at all, you can seek repayment for lost income and future earning potential.

• Pain and Suffering
  This includes physical pain, emotional distress, and reduced quality of life caused by the injury.

Slip and fall claims can add up quickly. Medical treatment, recovery time, and personal disruption all have financial value. An experienced attorney can help you assess your full damages and pursue the maximum recovery.

Why Choose Selingo Guagliardo for Your Case

After a slip-and-fall injury, you’ve got choices, but not every law firm knows what it’s like to work cases in Northeastern Pennsylvania. At Selingo Guagliardo, we live and work here, too. We understand the local laws, how property issues are handled in this region, and what it takes to build a strong case in the local courts. Over the years, we’ve helped people in this community get results they can count on.

Local Knowledge, Proven Results

Slip-and-fall accidents happen all over Northeastern Pennsylvania, whether in a grocery store aisle, on a rental property walkway, or in a poorly maintained parking lot. When someone gets hurt, our team knows how to move fast. We look at what caused the fall, gather evidence, and build the case.

Our attorneys have worked on many premises liability cases over the years. We know what it takes to show a property owner was at fault, and we take that responsibility seriously. We focus on results, but just as important, we treat every client with the respect they deserve.

Start-to-Finish Legal Support

Slip and fall cases aren’t just about the injury. They come with doctor visits, time off work, and a lot of questions about what to do next.

That’s where we come in. Our slip and fall lawyers are here to make the legal side of things easier. We’ll review how the accident happened, gather the needed evidence, and explain each step so you know what to expect. You won’t have to figure it all out on your own.

If you’re dealing with a serious fall injury, we’ll help you through the process without adding more stress.

Get a Free Case Evaluation

If you were hurt in a slip and fall, talking to a lawyer can give you a clearer picture of your options and help you avoid mistakes that could cost you later.

At Selingo Guagliardo, we offer free case evaluations with no pressure and no obligation. Whether you’re facing medical bills, missing work, or just trying to figure out your next step, we’re here to listen, answer your questions, and help you make an informed decision.

Injured in a fall? Don’t wait. Click below for a FREE case evaluation.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) About Slip-and-Fall Cases

• What should I do immediately after a slip and fall accident?

  Get checked out by a doctor, even if you think the injury isn’t serious. Report what happened to the property owner or manager, and try to take photos of where you fell and any visible injuries. Keep notes on everything. And before you talk to the insurance company, it’s smart to speak with a lawyer who can guide you through what to say and what not to.

• How do I know if I have a valid slip-and-fall claim?

  You might have a case if the property owner didn’t fix a dangerous condition or failed to warn you about it, which led to your injury. A lawyer can review the details and let you know if you have a valid claim and options.

• How long must I file a slip and fall lawsuit in Pennsylvania?

  In Pennsylvania, you usually have two years from the fall date to file a claim. If you wait too long, you could lose the chance to recover compensation.

• What types of compensation can I recover?

  You could be entitled to money for your medical bills, any income you’ve lost while recovering, and the pain and stress the injury has caused. In some cases, other related costs might also be covered.

• Do I need a lawyer for a slip and fall case?

  You’re not required to have a lawyer, but having one can make a big difference. A good attorney can deal with the insurance company, collect the proper evidence, and create a solid case so you’re not handling it alone.