All it takes to cause a significant back injury is a slip of your foot on a slick floor or an unsteady banister that causes you to lose your footing and go tumbling down a staircase. In the immediate aftermath of such an accident, many people assume that their egos are what is most badly injured and that their blacks-and-blues will disappear quickly. For some people that is true. Unfortunately for others, the consequences of slip and fall back injuries are much more severe.
What to Watch for After a Slip and Fall
If you’ve been involved in a premises liability accident in New York or New Jersey, there are certain symptoms of which you should be aware that could indicate a serious back injury. Specifically, you should seek immediate medical attention if you:
- Experience any loss of movement
- Have a loss of sensation or the inability to feel hot, cold or pain
- Cannot control your bladder or bowel
- Have difficulty breathing or excessive coughing
- Experience a stinging sensation
- Feel extreme pain or pressure in your head, neck or back
- Have difficulty balancing or walking
- Have any other symptom which is abnormal for your or causes you concern
Spinal cord symptoms are not always readily apparent but always require immediate medical treatment. The sooner that you see a doctor and get medical treatment, the better your chances are of limiting the long term or permanent effects of your injury. Currently, there is no cure for spinal cord injuries, and damage that is already done cannot be undone. Thus, prompt medical attention that prevents further damage is important after a slip and fall accident.
When to Contact a New Jersey and New York Slip and Fall Injury Lawyer
It is important to call an experienced premises liability lawyer as soon as possible after your accident. Just as it is important to call a doctor and get prompt medical attention to improve your chances of physical recovery, prompt legal attention can improve your chances of legal recovery because your lawyer will have a chance to investigate the accident scene and interview witnesses while the accident is fresh in their minds.
For more than 35 years, the slip and fall lawyers in New York and New Jersey’s Hofmann & Schweitzer have been helping seriously injured victims. Contact us today at 1-800-362-9329 for more information.
