When properties have hazards on them, such as unattended spills, cluttered walkways, or crumbling staircases, visitors can sustain painful hip injuries in slip and fall accidents. If you suffered a hip injury in a preventable slip and fall on someone else’s premises, a Colorado Springs personal injury lawyer can help you seek fair compensation for your losses.  

What Are the Most Common Types of Hip Injuries After a Slip and Fall Accident?

Slip and fall accidents are a common cause of hip injuries. Here are five of the most common hip injuries from falls, slips, and trips:

  • Bone fractures – If a slip and fall victim lands hard enough, the impact can fracture the pelvis or the femur. This type of injury may require surgical treatment or an artificial hip replacement.
  • Bursitis – Bursitis is a type of inflammation that occurs due to the swelling of bursae, fluid-filled pads that cushion the hip joint. Bursitis is frequently caused by repetitive motion strain, but it can also result from blunt-force trauma.
  • Dislocation injuries – In some cases, a slip and fall can jolt the head of the femur out of the ball-and-socket joint of the hip. Dislocation can result in severe pain, loss of sensation in the lower leg, and inability to bear weight on the leg.
  • Hip pointer injuries – A contusion to the soft tissues and bone structures of the outermost edge of the pelvis is commonly known as a “hip pointer.” Even minor slip and falls on the hip can result in this painful type of bruising.
  • Soft tissue injuries – Sprains, strains, and tears to soft tissue structures surrounding the hip frequently occur during slip and falls. One common injury known as a labral tear involves trauma to the cartilage enveloping the hip socket.

What Are the Symptoms of a Hip Injury?

Different hip injuries have different symptoms, but some common signs of many hip injuries include:

  • Stiffness or limping in the affected hip or leg
  • Difficulty standing or walking after a slip and fall
  • Intense pain in the hip or groin
  • Lack of ability to bear weight on the affected leg or side of the hip
  • Discoloration, bruising, or swelling around the affected hip
  • A shortened or unnaturally angled leg on the side of the injury

How Do You Know If a Hip Injury Is Serious?

Many hip injuries from falling can heal at home with rest and over-the-counter pain medication. However, there are certain signs that a hip injury is more serious. You likely require medical attention if:

  • You cannot bear weight on your affected leg
  • Your hip joint seems deformed
  • You cannot move your affected leg or hip
  • You experience sudden swelling, intense pain, or signs of possible infection

Treatment After a Hip Injury

Depending on the nature and severity of your slip and fall hip injury, you may require one or more of the following treatments:

  • Over-the-counter or prescription pain medication
  • Anti-inflammatories such as corticosteroids
  • Rest, ice, compression, and elevation (RICE treatment)
  • Warm compresses, baths, or showers
  • Physical therapy and low-impact exercise
  • Surgery, up to and including total hip replacement (arthroplasty)

How Jeffrey Scott Lasswell Can Help With Your Hip Injuries

If you were injured in a Colorado Spring slip and fall accident, I can help you stand up to big insurance companies and demand fair compensation for your hip injuries. I have a strong reputation for providing effective legal help and a history of favorable case results to back it up. Since I was an insurance defense attorney, I also know firsthand how they operate. I can leverage this insider knowledge to help advance your case.

Contact Jeffrey Scott Lasswell, PC today to learn more about your legal options in a free consultation.