More people are hospitalised due to accidental falls than any other type of injury cause, according to a report recently released by the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (AIHW).
The report looks at the 413,000 injury cases requiring hospitalisations that occurred between 2008 and 2009, and is available on the AIHW website.
It revealed that accidental slips and falls accounted for 38 per cent of the 413,000 hospitalisations, and that women were at higher risk of this type of injury.
“Women are more likely to be hospitalised as a result of an accidental fall than men, and rates are highest among older Australians,” AIHW spokesperson professor James Harrison said in a statement.
If you ever sustain an injury from a slip or fall, and you believe this happened due to another party’s negligence, then you may be eligible for public liability compensation.
An example of this could be falling over in a supermarket, where the floor had recently been mopped but there was no adequate signage or warning.
The same problem could occur if a spillage was not properly cleaned up, again in a supermarket, or anywhere else such as a department store or shopping centre.
With public liability cases, it is important that you can prove that someone else was negligent.
The second most common cause of injury hospitalisation according to the report is transport accidents, another large area of compensation law.
These accounted for approximately 14 per cent of cases – the equivalent of 61,000 out of the 413,000.
Although women are more likely to suffer from a slip and fall, it seems men are more likely to be involved in transport crashes.
However, it is young people above all that are at the most risk of hurting themselves on the road.
“Males had a higher rate of transport injury hospitalisations than females across all age groups, with the highest rates among those aged 15-24,” professor Harrison explained.
Like with slips and falls, you may also be able to claim car accident compensation – if you can prove that the incident occurred due to someone else’s negligence.
Examples of this could be that the other motorist was speeding or driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol.
There are lawyers in Sydney who operate on a no win no fee basis who can help you prepare a claim and win compensation for your injury and suffering.
