While certain environmental elements increase the risk of anyone in Alabama falling, older adults, or those 65 and older, often have existing risk factors in play that make them more likely to suffer serious injuries in falls. Hip fractures are a frequent result of older adults falling, and the vast majority of hip fractures result from these circumstances.
Per the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 95% of hip fractures suffered by older adults occur during falls.
How often hip fractures occur
The majority of people who experience hip fractures in falls suffer them after falling sideways. Women are more prone to these hip injuries than men. This may be due in part to the fact that women are more likely to have osteoporosis than men, which is a condition that makes bones more brittle and prone to breaking. However, each year, more than 300,000 adults 65 and older seek treatment at hospitals for hip fractures.
What causes older adults to fall
Certain variables, such as wet floors, potholes in parking lots, loose wires and cluttered stairs or hallways, often cause older adults to fall. Younger individuals may have an easier time spotting or avoiding these hazards. Yet, older adults often have vision, balance or related issues that make such hazards harder to identify or avoid. When older adults take certain prescription medications, their use of these drugs may also increase the risk of them falling.
When someone suffers a serious fall-related injury, whether they have a case depends on where the fall occurred and who was responsible for the area where it took place, among other considerations.