Protect Yourself From Severe Injuries by Knowing How to Fall Safely

New York City is full of slip and fall hazards. This is particularly true during the winter when snow and ice can accumulate on steps, curbs, walkways, handrails, and fire escapes to conceal existing hazards and create new ones.

A slip and fall accident can cause a victim to suffer severe injuries, which can have complications like blood loss, permanent disability, disfigurement, mental trauma, and death. In less extreme falls, a victim can suffer cuts, sprains, fractures, strains, and head trauma.

What many individuals do not realize is that how you fall and land determine how you are injured. There are “right” and “wrong” ways to fall. If you stumble and lose your balance, quick thinking and bodily maneuvers can put yourself a position to suffer a minor injury or even no injury at all rather than a severe injury.

Where Do New Yorkers Slip and Fall?

Anywhere there is a slippery or unstable surface, you can suffer a fall. A few notorious slip and fall hazards in the city include:

• Staircases leading to and from the subway, particularly the steps above ground
• Sidewalks
• Curbs
• Outdoor steps, which can be broken or have loose or damaged handrails
• Potholes

The Safest Ways to Fall

A few key guidelines to follow when falling include:

• Protect your head and neck. Wrap your arms around your head to shield it from impact;
• Bend your knees and elbows to protect them from impact; and
• Try to fall on the fleshiest parts of your body, rather than on bone. If you can, attempt to land on your buttocks, side, or shoulder.

As you fall, try to adjust the direction of your fall in your favor by thrusting your arms or other body parts to create inertia. Failing this, brace yourself for impact. The moments after losing your balance are few and fleeting, so training your body to react in certain ways without having to think about it can be critical to preventing an injury. When falling forward, falling into a push-up position can reduce the stress on your wrists and prevent injury to them.

Avoiding falls is another important way to avoid injury. When you walk on precarious surfaces, take short, slow steps and outstretch your arms for increased balance. Think of walking on a tightrope or, if you are familiar with either, standing on a surfboard or skateboard.

Work With an Experienced Brooklyn Slip and Fall Lawyer

If you are injured in a slip and fall accident, you could be entitled to recover compensation for your damages through a premises liability claim. Our team of an experienced team of Bronx slip and fall lawyers at Peters Berger Koshel & Goldberg, P.C. is here to help you determine the best way to move forward with your personal injury claim. Contact our office today to set up your initial consultation with a member of our team.