People often experience a powerful chemical response when they feel frightened. Your body responds to a surge of fear with the release of a chemical cocktail that helps you either fight off predators or escape a dangerous location.
However, that chemical cocktail that your body delivers can actually make it harder for you to appropriately respond to an injury. You may not realize, for example, that your pain levels indicate that you should see a medical professional. In your eagerness to move on with your day, you may fail to notice the early warning signs that you could have a significant injury.
Slip-and-falls are one of the leading causes of traumatic brain injuries (TBIs), and many people don’t realize right after they fall how badly they hurt themselves.
TBIs tend to produce delayed symptoms
With the exception of severe brain injuries that produce immediate, noticeable symptoms, most TBIs take hours if not days for people to notice. During that time, the pressure on your brain caused by the swelling or bleeding will slowly increase. Worsening symptoms and a poor prognosis have a strong association with delayed treatment following a traumatic injury to the head.
The sooner a doctor evaluates you for signs of a brain injury, the more likely you are to receive the right treatment in a timely manner and secure the best possible medical outcome. Once you fall, if you hit your head or lose consciousness even for a few seconds, you should notify the business of what occurred.
You can then seek a medical evaluation at your doctor’s office or possibly an urgent care facility. If the doctor determines that you do have bruising or bleeding on the brain, you will be in the best position to treat your symptoms and get compensation.
Premises liability claims can pay your bills
If you hurt your head badly enough that you require hospitalization or a leave of absence from work, you likely have grounds for a premises liability claim against the property owner or business.
Sometimes, their promises liability or general business liability policy will be enough to compensate you. Other times, either due to poor insurance coverage or a lack of insurance, those hurt in a slip-and-fall out of business may need to file a civil lawsuit and your decision to seek medical evaluation shortly after falling and to report the incident to the manager on duty or property owner will help protect your right to make such a claim.
Recognizing the possible consequences of hitting your head when you fall in public can help you take the right steps to protect yourself.