According to a study by the University of Michigan Health System, everyone is at greater risk of fall accidents during severe winter weather. Various conditions, including wind speed, snow, and temperature were analyzed into a ‘Slipperiness Score’ to reveal that these factors increase the chances of someone sustaining a fracture in a fall incident.
The study was published in this month’s Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery Journal. Although it focuses on Medicare patients, its authors are the ones who note that this greater fall risk during cold weather conditions is not exclusive to the 65 and over age group. In Massachusetts, our Boston slip and fall lawyers represent clients who sustained injuries from falling or slipping on someone else’s property. Please contact Altman & Altman today to ask for your free case assessment.
Also, according to the University of Michigan Health System’s findings:
• On the days when weather conditions made footing conditions more slippery, the risk of fractures rose by close to 40%.
• More than 1,000 wrist fractures happen in the wintertime among seniors age 65 and above than during other seasons.
Wrist Fractures
Wrist fractures can be very physically limiting and may restrict a person’s ability to be independent-especially if one is an older senior. A wrist fracture may also impair the ability of one’s hands to function freely, which can do difficult to cook, eat, drive, and do a lot of tasks-essentially compromising one’s independence.
Massachusetts Slip and Fall
Wrist fractures are not the only injury that can happen during a Boston slip and fall. A dislocated hip, broken bones, head injury, back pain, leg fractures, traumatic brain injury, and even death may also occur. In Massachusetts, property owners must make sure that the area that they own is free from hazards that could fall accidents-this includes removing natural and unnatural accumulations of snow and ice from the grounds. Otherwise, they may find themselves the defendant of a Boston premises liability case.
Seeing as the elderly continue to be at risk of fall accidents, elder care facilities need to exercise extreme vigilance to make sure that slip injury hazards are remedied and that patients who, due to health reasons (including dementia), are more prone to fall regardless of the weather conditions are properly supervised and assisted. Otherwise, they could be held liable for Boston nursing home negligence if related injuries were to arise.
As the temperature drops, your risk of fracture rises, UoMHealth.org, February 2, 2014
Massachusetts Law About Snow and Ice, Massachusetts Trial Court Law Libraries
Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery Journal
More Blog Posts:
Winter Weather and Slippery Conditions Increase Risk of Slip and Fall Accidents: Steps to Keep Yourself and Others Safe This Winter, Boston Injury Lawyer Blog, December 21, 2013
Massachusetts Winter Slip and Fall Injuries, Boston Injury Lawyer Blog, December 11, 2013
Charlestown Workers Injured During Scaffolding Incident, Massachusetts Workers’ Compensation Lawyer Blog, September 18, 2013