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The year 2023 witnessed a series of tragic incidents that highlighted the often-underestimated dangers of slip and fall accidents. These occurrences, which range from residential mishaps to public space tragedies, serve as a grim reminder of the potential lethality of what many consider to be minor accidents. This article delves into several of the most deadly slip and fall accidents that occurred in 2023, exploring the circumstances that led to these tragedies and the profound impact they have had on families, communities, and safety regulations. By shedding light on these incidents, we aim to raise awareness about the importance of preventive measures and safety protocols in both private and public settings. Our analysis not only honors the memories of those lost but also serves as a crucial call to action for improved safety standards and heightened vigilance in everyday life.
December 18, 2023 – Louisiana woman killed after tripping in parking lot
Police are investigating after a vehicle hit and killed an elderly woman in the parking lot of a grocery store Monday morning, December 18. According to the Baton Rouge Police Department, the crash happened around 10 a.m. in the parking lot of the Albertsons on College Drive in Baton Rouge.
Police identified the victim as Louise Calloway, 84. They added that she was walking in the parking lot and fell after tripping on a raised portion of concrete.
The driver of the vehicle was driving in the parking lot and didn’t notice Calloway on the ground, according to BRPD.
Police said the victim died at the scene.
The investigation is ongoing. (source)
September 23, 2024 – Woman dies after falling down cliff camping in North Carolina
A South Carolina resident died from injuries she sustained after falling down a cliff off of the Blue Ridge Parkway over the weekend. A press release from officials with the Blue Ridge Parkway says on Saturday, Sept. 23, 2023, around 12:15 pm, National Park Service (NPS) dispatch operators received a report of a woman who had fallen down a steep cliff at Glassmine Falls Overlook at milepost 361.
NPS Law Enforcement Rangers arrived on scene and confirmed the woman, Nancy Sampson, 61, of Greer, South Carolina, had succumbed to injuries from her fall.
“Rescuers were able to locate Sampson approximately 150 feet below the overlook,” the release says. “Her body was recovered by first responders from the Reems Creek Fire Department, with assistance from Mt. Mitchell State Park Rangers and a Trauma Intervention Program of Western North Carolina volunteer.”
In a Facebook post, the Reems Creek Fire Department says crews rappelled over 100 feet down the cliff to locate Sampson, and that MAMA 2 responded to the scene as well. NPS officials say no other details will be released at this time. (source)
January 16, 2023 – Connecticut woman injured after falling off bridge
Emergency crews rescued a 55-year-old woman who suffered life-threatening injuries Monday after she fell more than 25 feet off a Norfolk Road bridge into a canal, officials said
Officials responded around 3:45 p.m. to the narrow canal that links the Reuben Hart Reservoir to the nearby Hall Meadow Brook Reservoir due to a report about a person injured in a fall, according to Paul Copleman, a spokesperson for the state Department of Energy and Environmental Protection.
After arriving on the scene, firefighters then performed a “high angle rescue” using ropes to pull the injured woman back onto the two-lane bridge. The rescue effort took about 25 minutes, according to a Facebook post by the Torrington Fire Department.
Copleman said the woman received medical treatment on the scene before being flown by helicopter to Hartford Hospital. He said DEEP’s environmental conservation police are investigating the incident.
The rescue effort unfolded just south of the John A. Minetto State Park. The canal connecting the two reservoirs runs under Norwalk Road and is about 1,200 feet in length, according to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. (source)
October 21, 2023 – Louisiana man injured after fall from tree stand while hunting
On Saturday, October 21, 2023, around 9:45 AM, the Union Parish Sheriff’s Office was dispatched to the Rocky Branch community in reference to a call about an injured person.
Authorities were informed that a male subject had fallen from his hunting tree stand and was suffering from serious injuries. The Union Parish Sheriff’s Office, along with Rocky Branch Fire Department and Pafford EMS, responded to the area off Chapman Road.
Deputies and fire and rescue personnel were able to reach the victim and begin medical treatment. The investigation revealed that the victim had fallen around 20 feet and sustained serious injuries as a result of the fall, and he was unable to move.
The victim was able to be taken out of the wooded area and transported to Pafford Air, which had landed at Pleasant Hill Baptist Church.
June 20, 2023 – Pennsylvania woman injured after falling from moving vehicle
A 35-year-old woman was flown for treatment via medical helicopter after police said she fell from a moving vehicle at about 7:45 a.m. Monday.
Middleburg Police Department issued a statement Monday that a 1999 Ford F250 driven by 43-year-old Samuel Smith, of McClure, was traveling northbound on state Route 522, passing its intersection with North Brown Street, McClure Borough, when Amanda McCully reportedly exited the vehicle’s passenger compartment, falling into the roadway and striking the pavement and guide rail.
Officers said passing motorists called 911, reporting a person lying on the roadway.
The report states that Middleburg Police Department responded to the initial report and conducted a crash investigation.
EMS and fire personnel from Beaver Springs Fire Department and ambulance provided medical response along with Evangelical Hospital Paramedics. Smith was taken into custody and processed under suspicion of impaired driving. (source)
October 4, 2023 – Virginia woman injured on Carnival Cruise in Pacific Ocean
The family of a 64-year-old woman is awaiting her safe return home after she injured herself during a cruise and was left stranded for nearly a week at a hospital in Indonesia for treatment.
Denise Hammond, of Tappahannock, Virginia, was sailing on a Carnival cruise ship in the Pacific Ocean on Oct. 4, when she slipped and fell, injuring her arm and hip. While Hammond was treated for her arm by the ship’s medical personnel, it was determined that she needed an operation on her hip.
“It was crazy, you don’t ever expect those things to happen,” said Rachel Matthews, Hammond’s daughter, per CBS affiliate WTVR. Matthews told the local news outlet that her mother was treated by doctors onboard for three days until the ship docked in Indonesia, where Hammond was then transferred to a hospital. She assumed that Hammond would be properly cared for because Hammond purchased travel insurance for the trip.
However, Matthews told USA Today that her mother claimed the Indonesian hospital was “out of date.” She also alleged that Hammond received minimal care at the hospital. Carnival Cruise shared a statement with PEOPLE on Thursday that “Carnival Luminosa’s medical staff cared for the guest while on board and helped to coordinate further treatment with the guest’s insurance providers. Our CareTeam members have been in regular contact with the guest and her family, and we are pleased that the guest’s insurance, which we always encourage guests to have in case of emergencies, will help organize her return home,” the statement continued.
After Hammond contacted her about what happened at the hospital, Matthews told WTVR she made numerous phone calls to get her mother treated at another facility in a different country. She said that it would cost at least $40,000 to have Hammond transferred to a hospital in Singapore, according to a quote from doctors and the insurance company.
“There are caps to the benefits and getting a surgery overseas is going to go way outside of those gaps,” Matthews told WTVR. “These are urgent issues that can cause permanent damage.” As a result, Matthews established a GoFundMe to help offset the costs of Hammond getting transported safely. “We are terrified that she will die while being denied access to safe and appropriate medical care,” Matthews wrote in the fundraiser description.
“My mom had done everything right,” Matthews told USA Today. “She had great travel insurance that was supposed to cover all of this. Still, even so, we faced so many hurdles just to get her the care that she needs.”
Fortunately, good news arrived for Hammond’s family. In a series of GoFundMe updates, Matthews said that her mother arrived in Bangkok on Oct. 13 where she is scheduled to have surgery. “The doctors expect her to spend about one week recovering in-patient,” Matthews wrote on Oct. 16, “and then another week recovering out-patient in Bangkok before she is ready to fly home. Please continue to pray for positive outcomes and a smooth recovery! Thanks again to everyone!” (source)
August 17, 2023 – Boston woman injured in fall caused by sidewalk collapse
A woman was injured in August when part of a sidewalk leading to a Dorchester church’s entryway collapsed, causing her to fall about 10 feet into the building’s basement, according to the Boston Fire Department. Crews were able to rescue the woman, who was taken to a hospital by Boston EMS with what were described as non-life-threatening injuries, the fire department said in a social media post.
The sidewalk segment that collapsed was part of an entry threshold at Bethlehem Healing Temple Church at 428 Blue Hill Ave., near the corner of Stanwood Street, according to the firefighters’ posting. Boston firefighters received a report a few minutes after 11 p.m. that a sidewalk had collapsed and a person had fallen through it, according to fire department radio calls recorded by Broadcastify.com.
Responding firefighters and EMTs at the scene reported they found a woman who had plunged about 10 feet into a basement area. One first responder told dispatchers the woman appeared to have suffered a broken leg. Crews were able to take the woman out of the basement using a door on the building’s rear side, according to the radio calls. She was then taken by Boston EMS to a local hospital.
A building inspector from the city’s Inspectional Services Department also responded to the incident, and found that a portion of the building had been compromised, according to a spokesperson for Mayor Michelle Wu Saturday morning. Electricity to the building was turned off, and the inspector asked the church to use a licensed structural engineer to examine the building, and file a report with the Inspectional Services Department, according to Wu’s office. The church had been due for demolition in 2022, according to the church’s website, which had posted an image of the building with jersey barriers and a chain link fence along the sidewalk in front of the church. A spray painted X inside a box was visible on the façade.
“This project will be done in stages. We are working to minimize inconvenience and will appreciate your patience,” a message on the website read.
Church services were being conducted at other locations, the website said. Representatives of the church did not immediately respond to a request for comment Saturday. Companies were able to extricate a person who fell approximately 10 feet when the threshold of the building collapsed at 428 Blue Hill Ave, a hollow sidewalk leading into the building. The person was transported by Boston EMS with non life threatening injuries. (source)
Call A California Slip and Fall Lawyer Today
As we conclude our review of the seven deadly slip and fall accidents of 2023, it becomes evident that such tragedies can occur unexpectedly and have devastating consequences. These incidents serve as a stark reminder of the fragility of life and the importance of safety in our daily environments. At J&Y Law Firm we understand the emotional and physical toll these accidents can take on individuals and their families. Our team is dedicated to providing compassionate and effective legal assistance to those affected by such misfortunes.
If you or a loved one has been a victim of a slip and fall accident, know that you are not alone. Navigating the legal landscape can be overwhelming, especially during such challenging times. Our experienced attorneys are here to guide you through every step of the legal process, ensuring that your rights are protected and that you receive the compensation and justice you deserve.
Remember, time is a crucial factor in these cases. You only have two years from the date of the accident to file a lawsuit to recover damages for your injuries. Prompt legal action can be pivotal in achieving a favorable outcome. We encourage you to reach out to us for a free consultation to discuss your case. Let us help you turn a moment of adversity into a path towards resolution and recovery.
Contact J&Y Law Firm today at 310-774-0778, and take the first step in your journey towards justice and healing.