September 27, 2019
Falls are a common reason for serious injuries in the senior population, but anyone could become a victim of this type of accident in Florida. There are many ways you could fall. A wet floor, a loose rug or a step you do not see could all lead to nasty injuries if they cause you to lose your balance and hit the ground. There are actually four types of falls to be aware of, according to Occupational Health & Safety.
The four types of falls go into categories based on what caused the fall. They include step, slip, trip and stump.
A step and fall is when you walk on a surface that has a change in height you were not expecting. This could be a step down, a hole or an uneven surface that slopes or dips down.
A slip and fall is the type of fall you are probably most familiar with. It happens when the surface you are walking on does not allow your shoes or feet to grip the surface, which means you lose your footing. Often, slip and falls occur due to wet surfaces, but some flooring may be naturally slippery and lead to falls.
A trip and fall occurs when something unexpected is in your path. You do not see the obstacle and you trip over it, losing your balance and falling. Trips are often caused by objects such as toys or power cords.
A stump and fall is when your foot connects with an object and causes you to lose your balance. This could be an unexpected stair, an obstruction of some type or something under a rug or carpet that creates a bump.
This information is for education and is not legal advice.