National Data on Slip and Fall Injuries

A slip and fall accident in New York commonly occurs because the feet lose traction on a surface. These falls are often caused by uneven surfaces, slippery surfaces, and poor lighting. Slip and falls can cause serious injury as evidenced by these statistics.

Slip and fall stats overview

Around 80,000 people visit the ER every year for a slip and fall, which includes sidewalk accidents from broken concrete, ice, and snow. Stats from the CDC reveal that 60% of pedestrian deaths involve people 65 and older. The National Floor Safety Institute reports 24% of falls are caused by improper footwear, which isn’t just high heels.

Falls cause half of the accidental deaths in the home, which commonly occur from ground levels in doorways and crowded areas. The most likely areas for a slip and fall at a business include parking lots, sidewalks, and stairs. Stats show that 1 out of 3 women and 1 out of 12 men will fracture a hip during their life, and around 300,000 older people fracture their hips annually.

Work-related slip and fall

The accident rate is the highest in the nursing field, which caused 19,790 slips and falls in 2016. Nurses spend most of their day bending, twisting, standing, and lifting, which increases the risk of slip and falls.

Data from the American Trucking Association shows that slip and falls are the primary reason for workers to file claims. Slip and fall incidents in the trucking industry make up 30% of occupational injuries and 50% are serious injuries. Other services with high fall rates include jobs involving moving materials, cleaning, extraction industries, and transportation, with the most fatal falls in mining and construction.

Even minor falls can cause several lost days of work and thousands of dollars in damages. Fall victims may be able to recover damages from responsible parties if they can prove negligence or if they are covered by an insurance policy.