Ever wonder what the 3 leading causes of injury and death in Americans aged 65 and over are?
#1. Falls
The leading cause of injury and death for older Americans is falls. Twenty-five percent of senior citizens fall annually. A fall is not a minor accident for the elderly. Over 2.8 million injuries stemming from falls are treated in emergency rooms every year. More than 800,000 people 65 or over are hospitalized every year due to falls.
Sadly, falls cause more than 27,000 deaths every year among senior citizens. That’s one death every 19 minutes.
While falls strike the elderly disproportionately, the second and third leading cause of injuries and deaths in the elderly are also issues for the population as a whole.
#2. Heart Disease
The second leading cause of death in the elderly is heart disease, including strokes, arrhythmias, and heart attacks. Senior citizens need to eat healthily and exercise regularly to keep heart disease at bay.
#3. Cancer
The third leading cause of death is cancer. The elderly are at higher risk for cancer, although there is no current general agreement about what contributes to the higher risk. Breast cancer, lung cancer, and colon cancer are three of the most common cancers across all age groups.
Preventive measures can help increase your chances of not getting cancer, including regular screenings for breast and colon cancer after the age of 50 and, for lung cancer, not smoking or quitting if smoking is a habit.
Your Recourse in a Slip and Fall Accident
If you or an older loved one has slipped and fallen due to the actions of another, contact Louisiana slip and fall lawyer Bart Bernard to see if you are eligible to bring a suit for damages. The law in Louisiana holds that another party was negligent if a situation would be recognized by a reasonable person as clearly dangerous, the other party had a responsibility to keep the area where the accident took place safe, knew the situation was dangerous, had time to rectify the situation, and did not do so.
So, for example, if an elderly person slipped and fell in a store in which milk had been spilled but not cleaned up properly, the owners of the store could be liable. The situation is clearly dangerous, the store owners have a duty to make it safe, and did not.
Do You Need an Attorney Experienced in Slip and Fall Accidents?
The Bart Bernard Injury Lawyers is seasoned in litigating slip and fall accidents. Slip and falls harm far too many senior citizens in Louisiana. If you or a loved one has been hurt in a fall, don’t delay — make sure you take full advantage of your legal right to compensation!
Your initial consultation is completely free of charge. We charge no fees unless we win money for you. Call or contact us online today!
More Resources on the Dangers of Falls for the Elderly:
- National Council on Aging. Fall Prevention Facts. https://www.ncoa.org/news/resources-for-reporters/get-the-facts/falls-prevention-facts/
- United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Falls Are Leading Cause of Injury and Death in Older Americans. https://www.cdc.gov/media/releases/2016/p0922-older-adult-falls.html
- Very Well. Top Health Conditions for Adults Over 65. https://www.verywell.com/top-causes-of-death-among-adults-over-65-2967470.
