Broken Pelvis After a Slip-and-Fall in Atlanta: Will I Ever Walk Again?

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) states that seniors are more likely to suffer slips and falls than any other type of injury. 25% of all seniors in Georgia fall each year. One of the most common injuries for seniors after slips and falls is a fractured pelvis, otherwise known as a “broken hip.” This type of injury can affect your mobility for the foreseeable future. Will you ever walk again? How can you pay your medical bills after an Atlanta slip and fall?

A Significant Percentage of Slip-and-Fall Patients Never Walk Again

According to various studies published by the National Institutes of Health (NIH), a significant percentage of patients who suffer pelvic fractures in slips and falls never walk again. This number could be as high as one-third. That being said, not all of these patients are confined to wheelchairs or hospital beds. Instead, they might rely on canes and walkers.

Mobility Issues Increase Your Chances of Other Health Issues

Studies also indicate that if you develop mobility issues due to a pelvic fracture, you are more likely to develop other health issues in the future. This makes sense, as mobility issues prevent you from exercising, getting fresh air, and socializing with others. Mobility issues may also affect your mental health, which has an effect on your physical health.

How to Recover Your Mobility After a Slip-and-Fall

If you’re serious about recovering your mobility after a slip-and-fall, it’s important not to take things too quickly. Your chances of subsequent falls increase after your initial injury. If you rush the healing and rehabilitation process, you could find yourself falling a second time and making your injury even worse. After your second fall, your mobility issues may become permanent.

Physical therapy is one of the most common approaches for injured patients. With this strategy, you’ll work with a physical therapist to slowly regain your walking skills. You may have to do various strengthening exercises over many months. For serious cases, surgery could be beneficial. New treatment options, such as bone stimulation and stem cell treatments, may help you regain your ability to walk unassisted.

Discuss your options and specific needs with a doctor. If you believe that someone else is to blame for your slip-and-fall, a lawsuit may help you access the funds you need to pay your medical bills. If your mobility issues become permanent, financial support is even more important.

Can an Atlanta Slip-and-Fall Lawyer Help Me? 

An Atlanta slip-and-fall lawyer may be able to help you recover compensation for your broken hip. This compensation could be particularly crucial if your injury is causing long-term mobility issues. With financial support, you can access various forms of rehabilitation, surgeries, and treatments. Contact Morain & Buckelew, LLC to learn more about your next steps.

Sources: 

pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC6660276/

pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC6660276/#:~:text=We%20identified%2043%20patients%20(32,in%20everyday%20level%20of%20care.