We’ve all probably tripped on concrete paving at some point in our lives, whether it happened when we were five years old or thirty years old. At five years old we’d probably fall over, graze our knee and either get up and carry on playing or cry and run to our mum for a plaster. However at thirty years old the implications of a trip or fall can be much more serious.
As we get older falls can cause serious injuries with the impact it has on our bodies. A fall in the street may result in minor injuries such as a sprained wrist and cuts and bruises or could result in much more serious injuries such as whiplash.
A whiplash injury is caused when muscles in the back or neck area are forced to jilt either side-ways, backwards or forwards. Symptoms of this however may not develop straight away; it may take a few hours or days depending on the type of whiplash. When diagnosing the injury it is best to seek medical attention. They will then advise you on how to recover from the injury; it may be that you need to rest for a while.
Some victims of whiplash injuries will recover in time; some may never make a full recovery. If you have suffered from a whiplash injury, whatever way you encountered it, the side effects can be life changing. In the most serious of cases you may not be able to lift heavy objects again, or will become subject to a lifetime of back problems. Injuries such as this can affect ones working life.
It is the council who are responsible for keeping our streets safe, and making sure that there are no hazards such as pot holes and concrete paving that could cause someone injury. If you notice something that could cause harm to another you should report this to your council immediately. Taking a picture of the hazard and measuring it will also help the council.
Sometimes people fail to spot such hazards and they just go unnoticed, until someone becomes injured. It is the tax payer who contributes to having safe roads and footpaths, so they shouldn’t become injured due to the negligence of another.
If you have been injured due to a trip or fall in the street then you may be able to make a compensation claim. The Injury Lawyers will give you free legal advice if you are unsure about a claim; we work on a no win no fee basis to get you the compensation you deserve.
