Whether you are visiting a lively casino, walking on the busy boardwalk, or shopping at the outlet mall in Atlantic City, you are at risk of experiencing a slip and fall accident. Depending on what caused your fall, how your body reacted during the fall, and what type of surface your body came into contact with, you could suffer severe and life-altering injuries. The following are seven common injuries you can suffer in an Atlantic City slip and fall accident:
1. Soft tissue injuries
Soft tissue injuries occur when the areas around the bones become injured or damaged. Therefore, if your muscles, ligaments, and tendons experience any type of injury, you have a soft tissue injury. Even though many people think soft tissue injuries are minor or less severe, they can cause excruciating pain and discomfort, which can impact every aspect of your daily life moving forward.
2. Knee injuries
A lot of slip and fall victims twist or turn their legs and knees abruptly, which can result in serious knee injuries. These injuries may require several surgeries, the use of crutches or a wheelchair, and many months of rehabilitation. Depending on how severe the damage is, some individuals end up needing total reconstruction or replacement of their knee.
3. Serious contusions
Another common injury that occurs after a slip and fall accident are serious contusions. A contusion, also known as a bruise, emerges when the blood vessels underneath the skin become injured, causing blood to leak into the nearby areas. Most people assume that bruises are not serious injuries.
However, they can form on your bones, muscles, and skin tissue, causing chronic pain, inflammation, stiffness, lack of mobility, and skin discoloration. If you notice a serious contusion, it is crucial to have it checked out by a licensed medical professional to ensure that there are no broken bones or hidden damage underneath the skin, which could eventually lead to permanent complications if ignored.
4. A concussion
According to the Mayo Clinic, the most common reason for concussions is falls. When an individual experiences an Atlantic City slip and fall accident, they may hit their head on the ground or another hard object close by, causing the brain to slam into the skull and experience a concussion.
Even though concussions are considered to be a mild form of a traumatic brain injury, they can still permanently disrupt the cells within the brain, changing the way the brain works forever. If you believe that you hit your head in a slip and fall accident, it is crucial to seek medical attention as quickly as possible to rule out a concussion or another type of traumatic brain injury.
5. Herniated disks
During a slip and fall accident, your body may move and twist in various ways, causing a herniated disk in your spine. A herniated disk occurs when the “jellylike center” inside the disk is pushed out, pressing on the nearby nerves, muscles, and bones. Some doctors may refer to this as a ruptured disk or slipped disk, which typically means the same thing. Most of the time, herniated disks are found in the lower back, but that does not mean they cannot happen in the upper or middle portion of the spine. Some people have no symptoms whatsoever after a herniated disk, while others have excruciating pain, tingling, numbness, weakness, and more.
6. Neck injuries
Your neck is one of the most vulnerable and delicate parts of the body. It is made of several tiny bones, which can easily become injured or damaged with any forceful or rapid type of movement. After a slip and fall accident, you may suffer various types of neck injuries, such as whiplash, neck sprain, nerve damage within the neck, or even a cervical fracture. A cervical fracture, also known as a broken neck, occurs when one of the bones within the neck becomes fractured or broken. This can make it difficult for you to lift or move your neck, which can make it difficult to support your head. These types of injuries can lead to several surgeries, months of physical therapy, long-term disability, or paralysis.
7. Paralysis
Paralysis occurs when one or all of the body’s limbs stop working or functioning as normal. This usually happens when there is some type of serious nerve damage, which causes disruption in how the brain communicates with the muscles located throughout the body. Depending on how severe your Atlantic City slip and fall accident is, you could have temporary or partial paralysis, or you could have permanent and complete paralysis.
Have you recently suffered an injury in an Atlantic City casino slip and fall accident? If so, the slip and fall accident attorneys from Kwartler Manus, LLC are ready and available to assist you. Our team will guide you through every part of the legal process, ensuring that your questions and concerns are always answered and that you are kept up to date and informed about everything happening with your claim. We know and understand how difficult this time in your life may be, which is why we are here for you to depend on until you secure the justice and compensation you rightfully deserve. Please contact us to schedule a free consultation and begin discussing your claim at our New Jersey office today.