More people in Winnipeg have ended up in the hospital in the past two months compared to previous years, due to slipping and falling.
According to Shared Health figures, 344 Winnipeg people visited urgent care or an ER in December 2021 after falling due to ice and snow, or hoeing injuries.
That is 68 more people compared to December of 2020.
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In November 2021, 378 people sought medical help thanks to winter weather, 241 more patients than November 2020.
The highest number on average over the past four years was in December of 2018 when 408 people visited a hospital after tumbling.
The latest figures show that 201 Winnipeggers went to an ER or hospital between January 1 and 24 due to snow-related injuries.
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According to Shared Health, falls are the leading cause of injury-related hospitalization among older Canadian adults.
“As we get older, we need to remember that our muscle strength and our body strength are not what they used to be when we were 40 years old,” said Connie Newman, executive director of the Manitoba Association of Senior Centers.
“Coming back from a fall or fracture takes much longer,” she said, “There are those of us who need to remember that our body does not recover as quickly, just because we are getting older and we need to be careful.”
“Sometimes we have to admit what we can and cannot do as we get older.” She suggests asking a neighbor to help kick your front door or hire someone, to avoid a possible fall.
For people who were sent to hospital after they tumbled, lawyers say it is possible to sue.
The owner or occupier of a property has a legal responsibility to ensure that people dealing with the property are kept reasonably safe, according to Harvey Polluck, a partner of Polluck and Company.
The injured person, he says, must prove the occupier did not do so.
“The defendant becomes liable if they are occupants of the property and they do not clean the property or have snow removed or ice cut away or salt or sand dumped at an appropriate time,” Polluck said.
The injured person must prove that the occupier was aware of the potential risk and failed to take appropriate measures to address the problem, which led to the person injury. According to him, the injured person should show they did not willingly become involved in a situation that led to the fall.
“The first thing I will do when someone comes to see me is to ask what kind of shoes you were wearing. “Do you have the shoes with you or can you give me a picture of what they look like?” I also want a photo of the injuries. “
Polluck says insurance should cover someone who falls on their own property.
Information on preventing falls can be found at Shared Health’s website.
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