Slip and Fall Victim on the Mend

Ryan Nute

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A woman sustained a severe brain injury last October after slipping on steps while leaving a school function at Washington State University. She was in a coma and underwent five hours of brain surgery.

The patient recently returned to her home town, and will be undergoing physical therapy, occupational therapy and speech therapy.

Apparently the woman was wearing high heels at the time of the accident. While the type of shoes someone is wearing at the time of a slip/trip and fall is often brought up as an issue, stair design and maintenance are issues which are just as if not more important but are often overlooked in determining the cause of a fall. "Human factors" experts and stair design experts can be very helpful in investigating any serious slip and fall case which appears to have been caused by unsafe stair maintenance or design.