Treating a Slip Injury: Medical Steps and Legal Options

If you recently got hurt due to slipping, you may wonder, “How do you treat a slip injury?” Minor slip injuries may require little more than rest and over-the-counter pain medication to heal fully. However, if you suffer significant pain and discomfort, seek medical advice immediately.

Severe slips and falls can cause debilitating and potentially life-changing injuries. According to the National Floor Safety Institute (NSFI), falls are responsible for more than 8 million emergency room visits annually.

If you are injured due to a fall on another’s property, you could qualify for compensation, including medical care, wage replacement, and awards for pain and suffering. Morgan & Morgan fights hard for the injured. We could help you hold the responsible party accountable and recover fair compensation. Get started today and contact us to determine your best next steps in a free case evaluation.

Common Slip Injuries

Slips and falls can occur anywhere, whether in the grocery store or at work. Common injuries caused by slips can include:

• Fractures and dislocations
• Sprains and strains
• Cuts and bruises
• Injuries to hands and wrists
• Shoulder and elbow injuries
• Dental injuries
• Broken knees
• Traumatic brain injuries
• Back injuries

While many slips are harmless, some falls can cause severe and life-changing injuries, such as hip fractures and permanent brain injuries. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), falls can have devastating consequences on older adults, potentially preventing them from living independently.

What to Do After Experiencing a Slip and Fall?

Your health should be the priority when injured in a slip and fall. Do not force yourself to get up if you feel significant pain, as you could worsen the injury. Consider the following steps after a slip:

Check for Injuries and Call for Help

Depending on how the slip and fall occurred, it may take a few minutes or longer to feel pain and realize that you got hurt. Try to stay calm and assess your injuries, such as cuts and bruises. If you are in pain and unable to get up, call for medical help.

Getting up After a Slip Injury

Getting up without aggravating injuries can be vital. If you are badly hurt or feel significant pain, try not to move and wait for medical help. However, if your injuries appear minor, the following tips can help you get up safely:

1. Rather than rushing to stand up, try to roll onto your side first and push yourself into a sitting position slowly.
2. Crawl to a sturdy piece of furniture, such as a sofa, that can support you while getting up.
3. Place your strongest leg next to the furniture and push yourself up onto the sofa with your hands and the support of your leg.
4. Sit and rest for a few minutes before getting up, ensuring you are not seriously injured.

Assess What Caused the Accident

Slip accidents can happen due to inattention or wearing ill-fitting shoes. However, if your slip and fall occurred due to a property owner’s negligence, you could be entitled to compensation. You could have a claim if you were hurt due to a dangerous condition, such as:

• Worn or loose mats
• Clutter, such as cables or boxes on the floor
• Ice and snow accumulations
• Missing or broken steps
• Missing handrails
• Inadequate lighting
• Slippery floors

Gather Evidence

After suffering a slip injury, gathering evidence of the accident and your injuries could help you recover compensation from the liable party. Your next best steps can include the following:

• Taking photos of the accident scene and the reason for your slip and fall
• Ask eyewitnesses for contact details
• File an accident report if you slip in a store, restaurant, or another business
• Collect proof of your expenses, such as medical bills, income loss, and out-of-pocket costs

Seek Legal Advice

If you believe someone else is responsible for your slip injury, consult with an attorney as soon as possible. Morgan & Morgan’s experienced slip and fall lawyers have helped countless injured victims receive the compensation they needed to pay their medical bills and get their lives back on track. We could hold the responsible party accountable and help you get what you deserve.

How to Treat a Slip Injury?

How you treat a slip injury can be critical for a swift recovery. If you notice any injuries or pain, no matter how minor, you should see a doctor after a slip and fall accident. A medical professional can assess your injury and determine the treatment methods most appropriate for your specific injury. Seeking medical advice can be critical if your symptoms point to a possible fracture, such as:

• A "popping" sound with the injury.
• Inability to move the injured body part or put any weight on it.
• Feeling of numbness
• Open wounds
• Severe swelling, pain, or fever

Home Remedies for a Minor Injury

If you experienced a minor sprain or strain due to a slip and fall, consider the following home remedies after checking with your doctor:

The RICE Method

The RICE method typically involves:

• Resting the injury
• Icing the affected body part for 15-20 minutes at a time (use a thin towel to avoid damaging your skin)
• Compressing the injury with an elastic bandage or sleeve, taking care not to wrap it too tightly
• Elevating the injured body part above your heart level, if possible  

The RICE method can be an effective home remedy for minor fall injuries, such as sprains and strains. It can help to reduce pain and swelling of the injured body part and speed up healing. While RICE is appropriate for treating minor injuries, you should see a doctor if pain and swelling persist.

Pain Medication

Your doctor may recommend using over-the-counter anti-inflammatory medications, such as ibuprofen or acetaminophen, to help manage your pain from a slip injury.

Rest to Help Your Body Heal

After a slip and fall, you should give your body some time to heal rather than trying to do too much too soon and potentially aggravate your injury. Taking warm baths with Epsom salt can relax your muscles and help reduce inflammation. If discomfort continues, you could explore various supportive therapies to help you heal fully, such as chiropractic adjustment or massage therapy.

What Are Your Next Best Steps After a Workplace Slip Injury?

According to the National Safety Council (NSC), 805 workers died in falls and over 200,000 suffered injuries that required days off work in 2020. Slips and falls can happen in any job, no matter what line of work you are in. However, some industries suffer more slips and falls than others. Workers in the construction industry, hospitality, and manufacturing can be particularly prone to slipping on the job.  

Knowing what to do if you are injured at work could help maximize workers’ compensation payments and protect your legal rights to pursue compensation from other liable parties. Here are your next best steps:

1. Get medical help as soon as possible
2. Notify your employer of your slip and fall injury immediately
3. File a workers’ compensation claim

How Do You Treat a Slip Injury at Work?

Seeing a doctor immediately after getting injured at work can be crucial for your health and workers’ compensation claim. If you experience mild sprains or strains, your doctor might recommend rest, home treatments, and over-the-counter medication. Resist the temptation to return to work too quickly, especially if your job entails physical work, as you may aggravate the existing injury.

If you suffer significant harm in a work slip and fall, causing you to miss work for more than a few days, you should file a workers’ compensation claim as soon as possible to receive medical and income replacement benefits.

Workers’ Compensation Benefits You Could Recover

Depending on your state’s workers’ comp program, you could be entitled to the following benefits for a workplace slip injury:

• All necessary medical expenses
• Wage replacement payments
• Vocational benefits
• Death benefits for the family of a deceased worker

You Could Qualify for a Personal Injury Lawsuit

The workers’ comp program only goes so far. For example, wage replacement payments in most states cover only up to two-thirds of a worker’s regular weekly wages. Moreover, workers’ compensation does not allow employees to collect payments for emotional trauma or physical pain and suffering from a work injury.

However, if a third party, such as a property owner or subcontractor, caused your slip injury, you could qualify for a personal injury lawsuit, potentially allowing you to recover additional compensation. If you believe you have a claim, seek legal advice as soon as possible, as the time to file a lawsuit could be limited. Morgan & Morgan’s experienced personal injury attorneys can identify your legal options and file a lawsuit.

Should I Hire a Lawyer After Suffering a Slip Injury?

Whether you need a lawyer to fight for what you deserve will depend on the severity of your injury and whether you have monetary losses from the accident. A severe slip and fall injury can affect a victim’s life considerably and cause significant physical, emotional, and financial consequences. If someone else is responsible, working with an experienced and tenacious lawyer can be essential for receiving maximum potential compensation. Consider hiring an attorney if:

• You have steep medical costs and other financial losses
• Your injury is severe or disabling
• Your workers’ compensation claim was minimized or denied
• Your loved one died due to a slip and fall

Morgan & Morgan’s dedicated slip and fall injury attorneys can be by your side during this challenging time. We could protect your legal rights and fight for justice and compensation on your behalf while you recover from your injuries.

Which Damages Could I Receive With a Slip and Fall Lawsuit?

The compensation you could recover will depend on your specific accident and injuries. In general, the more severe your slip injury, the higher the settlement amount you could receive. Compensation can include:

• Medical expenses now and in the future
• Wage loss and future loss of earnings
• Costs of ongoing care
• Medical devices
• Out-of-pocket expenses
• Physical pain and suffering
• Emotional trauma
• Disability
• Loss of life enjoyment

Our attorneys can assess your damages and determine the worth of your claim, providing you with leverage during settlement negotiations. 

How Can I Prove Someone Else’s Liability for My Slip Injury?

Proving a legal claim is necessary to recover damages from the responsible party, such as a property or store owner. In slip and fall claims, the person bringing the lawsuit (the plaintiff) must prove the following four elements:  

1. The defendant had a duty of care
2. The defendant breached their duty, for example, by failing to warn of slippery floors
3. You suffered an injury due to the breach
4. You have damages such as medical bills

Without being able to prove all of these elements, you do not have a legitimate lawsuit. However, our attorneys could help to gather the evidence necessary to prove your claim.

When Should I File a Slip and Fall Lawsuit?

Knowing when to file a lawsuit can be critical for recovering compensation for a slip injury. The deadline to file a lawsuit is set by the statute of limitations in your state. In many states, injured individuals have two years to file a claim. However, in some states, claimants may only have one short year to file a lawsuit and recover compensation. Therefore, getting timely legal advice can be critical for your recovery.

We Have Your Back

How you treat a slip injury can depend on the type of injury you suffered and its severity. Significant slip injuries may require costly medical treatments.

However, if another caused your injury, you should not have to pay for your damages. Morgan & Morgan is here to help you discover your options for receiving the compensation you deserve. Our attorneys are ready to fight for you. Contact us today for a free and confidential consultation.