Cracked, broken, and uneven pavement poses a serious threat to pedestrians in Mississippi. Pavement that is not properly maintained can develop hazards like potholes, cracks, uneven surfaces, and abrupt height differences. These pavement defects make walking dangerous and can easily lead to devastating slip and fall accidents.
In Mississippi’s hot climate, pavement frequently develops cracks and fissures. Over time, weather, traffic, and poor maintenance cause the cracks to expand and the pavement to become uneven. Potholes also form when water seeps into cracks and deteriorates the pavement. The cracks, potholes, and uneven surfaces leave significant tripping hazards in parking lots, sidewalks, and pathways. When pedestrians walk over defective pavement, they can easily trip, lose their balance, or catch their shoe in a hole leading to a fall. Falls on dangerous pavement often cause catastrophic injuries.
Common Severe Injuries from Slip and Fall Accidents
Slip and fall accidents on hazardous pavement often lead to severe or even permanent disabilities. Some of the most common devastating injuries include:
- Fractures – Broken bones in the legs, arms, hips, wrists, ankles, etc. Fractures typically require surgery and extended recovery periods.
- Spinal Cord Injuries – Damage to the spinal cord from the impact of a fall that can cause partial or total paralysis.
- Traumatic Brain Injuries – A head injury that impacts brain function leading to cognitive, behavioral, and physical impairment.
- Amputation – The traumatic removal of a limb when crushed under the body during a fall. This life-changing injury requires prosthetics and rehabilitation.
- Hip Replacements – A shattered hip socket often necessitates full hip replacement surgery and intensive physical therapy.
- Death – In severe cases, falls can lead to fatal head trauma, organ damage, or internal bleeding.
The Lasting Effects of Serious Fall Injuries
Surviving a serious slip and fall accident often comes with lasting disabilities, dependence on others, steep medical bills, lost income, and reduced quality of life. Some of the long-term consequences include:
- Physical Disabilities – Limited mobility, loss of strength, chronic pain, and reduced coordination. Requires assistive devices like wheelchairs, braces, or crutches.
- Mental Impairment – Reduced cognitive function, memory loss, and personality changes from a traumatic brain injury.
- Loss of Independence – Dependence on others for basic care due to inability to walk, bathe, cook, clean, etc independently.
- Exorbitant Medical Costs – Emergency care, surgeries, medications, home modifications, and rehabilitation add up to hundreds of thousands in medical expenses.
- Lost Wages – Inability to return to work or reduced capacity leads to lost income and diminished economic security.
- Lower Quality of Life – Depression, stress, isolation, and inability to participate in formerly enjoyable activities.
Protecting Citizens through Proper Pavement Maintenance
The severe injuries and life-long struggles from slip and fall accidents demonstrate the need for proper pavement maintenance. When property owners neglect cracked, uneven, and deteriorating pavement, they endanger public safety. With careful inspection and repair of pavement hazards, many traumatic and costly accidents could be prevented.
Proper maintenance protects pedestrians and saves lives, but accidents can and do happen in Mississippi. If you have suffered an injury due to poorly maintained pavement, get in touch with us today. We have offices in 32 locations and 19 states, including Missouri, Ohio, and South Carolina.
Call now for a free consultation on (888) 477-0597.