Fall-Related Injuries are Increasing Among the Elderly, But Hearing Aids Might Help

When older adults fall in Rancho Bernardo, they often suffer severe injuries that require medical intervention. For quite some time, healthcare providers and researchers have known that falls are a leading cause of injury among older adults, resulting in devastating hip fractures, traumatic brain injuries (TBIs), and other serious harm that often requires long-term care. According to a recent article in The Washington Post, falls have increased among America’s elderly population in the last decade, and falls are now the leading cause of injury among older adults. That article notes that falls have become “the leading cause of injury among those 65 and older, even though not all falls result in an injury.” To be clear, older adults fall at a markedly high rate, and about 37 percent of people aged 65 and up who do fall require medical care as a result of the injury.

It is critical to know that falls are preventable, as the article points out, and a new report from NPR suggests that hearing aids may be a key way to reduce the rate of fall-related injuries among the elderly. What should you know? Our Rancho Bernardo personal injury attorneys can say more.

Hearing Loss Increases a Person’s Risk of Falling

What is the connection between wearing hearing aids and reducing the likelihood of a fall? In short, as the NPR report highlights, “research shows older adults with mild hearing loss are at greater risk — more than double — of falling.” Although researchers do not know precisely why hearing loss is linked to an increased risk of falling, they know that the connection is there. Accordingly, as a new study in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society reveals, “restoring hearing through the use of hearing aids may be protective, especially when people wear them consistently.”

That study showed that people with mild hearing loss who wore hearing aids reduced their odds of suffering a fall-related injury by about 50 percent. The reduction in fall risk increased even more significantly for people who wore their hearing aids for four hours or more per day. For many people, hearing aids ultimately improve their sense of balance, based on anecdotal evidence. That information suggests that there may be a connection between a person’s balance and their vestibular function, according to the NPR report.

Beyond reducing the risk of a fall, wearing hearing aids to improve hearing for older adults can also reduce the risk of other types of injuries, especially pedestrian accidents that may result from a pedestrian failing to hear an oncoming vehicle or another hazard on the road.

Liability for Falls

Who is responsible when a fall-related injury occurs in an elderly adult or in a person of any age? Liability will largely depend on the facts of the case. If a fall results from a dangerous condition on another person’s property, that property owner may be liable. Examples include retail store owners, restaurant owners, healthcare facilities, and more.

How much time do you have to seek compensation after a fall caused by another party’s negligence? Under California law, the statute of limitations for most negligence claims, including fall-related injury cases, is usually two years from the date of the injury.

Contact a Personal Injury Attorney in Rancho Bernardo

If you have any questions about fall liability or filing a claim after a fall-related injury, you should seek advice from a Rancho Bernardo personal injury attorney. Contact the Walton Law Firm for assistance.

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