June Is National Safety Month: Understanding Your Rights After a Preventable Injury

Every year, June is recognized as National Safety Month, a national campaign organized by the National Safety Council (NSC) to raise awareness about the leading causes of preventable injuries and deaths. The numbers are sobering. In 2023, preventable injuries claimed 222,698 lives in the United States, a 154 percent increase since 1992. Someone in this country dies from a preventable incident approximately every two minutes.

At the Law Offices of Frederick W. Nessler and Associates, we have spent over four decades representing people who have been seriously injured due to someone else's negligence. National Safety Month is a time to reflect on how preventable these tragedies are and to make sure victims understand the legal rights available to them.

Auto Accidents: One of the Leading Causes of Preventable Injury

Motor vehicle crashes remain one of the most significant sources of preventable injury and death in the United States. According to NHTSA's most recent traffic crash data, 40,901 people were killed in motor vehicle crashes in 2023, and an estimated 2.44 million people were injured. That translates to one person killed every 13 minutes and five people injured every minute on American roadways.

The causes of these crashes are well-documented and largely preventable: distracted driving, speeding, impaired driving, and aggressive behavior behind the wheel. In 2022, distracted driving alone killed 3,308 people and injured an estimated 289,310 others, according to NHTSA. These are not accidents in the truest sense of the word. They are the direct result of negligence.

If you or someone you love has been injured in a car accident caused by another driver, you have the right to pursue compensation for your losses. The auto accident attorneys at Nessler and Associates handle all types of motor vehicle cases, from rear-end collisions to multi-vehicle crashes, and work tirelessly to make sure our clients receive full compensation for their injuries, vehicle damage, and other losses.

Slip and Fall and Premises Liability: When Property Negligence Causes Harm

Falls are among the most underestimated causes of serious injury in the United States. According to the National Safety Council, 48,308 people died in falls in 2024, accounting for 24 percent of all preventable injury-related deaths in the country. More than 8.8 million people were treated in emergency rooms for fall-related injuries in 2023.

Falls are the leading cause of nonfatal emergency department visits, representing approximately 35 percent of all such visits in 2023, according to CDC data. They are also the leading cause of injury for adults aged 65 and older, a population that is particularly vulnerable to severe and life-altering outcomes from a fall.

Property owners, businesses, landlords, and municipalities have a legal duty to maintain safe conditions for people on their premises. When a wet floor goes unmarked, a broken staircase goes unrepaired, or inadequate lighting creates hazardous conditions, and someone is injured as a result, the property owner may be held liable under premises liability law.

Common slip and fall scenarios that can give rise to a legal claim include:

• Wet or slippery floors without proper warning signs

• Broken or uneven pavement, stairs, or walkways

• Inadequate lighting in parking lots, stairwells, or common areas

• Failure to address known hazardous conditions within a reasonable time

• Snow and ice accumulation on commercial property

If you suffered a serious injury in a slip and fall accident caused by hazardous conditions on someone else's property, you may have a premises liability claim worth pursuing.

Catastrophic Injuries: When the Consequences Are Life-Changing

Some accidents cause injuries that go far beyond broken bones and hospital stays. Catastrophic injuries are those that result in long-term or permanent disability, disfigurement, or conditions that prevent a victim from living independently or returning to meaningful employment. These include traumatic brain injuries, spinal cord injuries, amputations, severe burns, and permanent vision or hearing loss.

The financial toll of a catastrophic injury is often overwhelming. Medical care, long-term rehabilitation, in-home assistance, and lost earning capacity can add up to millions of dollars over a lifetime. No settlement can undo what happened, but it can give a victim and their family the financial stability to move forward.

The catastrophic injury attorneys at Nessler and Associates understand both the legal complexity and the deeply personal nature of these cases. We work with medical experts to fully document the scope of our clients' injuries and fight for the maximum compensation available under the law.

Understanding What Compensation You May Be Entitled To

Whether you were injured in a car accident, a slip and fall, or any other incident caused by another party's negligence, you may be entitled to compensation for both your economic and non-economic losses.

Economic damages can include:

• Current and future medical expenses

• Lost wages and lost future earning capacity

• Cost of long-term care, rehabilitation, and in-home assistance

• Property damage

Non-economic damages can include:

• Pain and suffering

• Emotional distress and psychological trauma

• Loss of enjoyment of life

• Loss of consortium

In cases of gross negligence, punitive damages may also be available. Every case is different, and the value of a claim depends on the specific facts and circumstances involved. Speaking with an experienced personal injury attorney is the best way to understand what your case may be worth.

How Nessler and Associates Can Help

The personal injury attorneys at Nessler and Associates have spent over four decades fighting for people who have been harmed by the negligence of others. We have won millions of dollars in compensation for our clients and have the experience and resources to take on even the most complex cases.

We represent clients across the country, with offices in Illinois, Florida, Texas, and Colorado, and the ability to handle cases well beyond state lines. We take personal injury, auto accident, and catastrophic injury cases on a contingency basis, meaning you pay nothing unless we win or settle your case.

Our attorneys do not wait. When a new case comes in, we get to work immediately. Evidence has to be preserved, witnesses need to be identified, and legal deadlines cannot be missed. The sooner you have someone in your corner, the better your chances of recovering everything you are owed.

This National Safety Month, we encourage everyone to be more aware of the hazards around them and to take safety seriously at home, on the road, and in the workplace. If you or a loved one has been injured because of someone else's negligence, do not wait to explore your legal options.

Contact Us Today for a Free Consultation

Phone: (800) 727-8010

Website: www.nesslerlaw.com

Consultations are always free and there is no fee until your case is settled or won.

By Blake Schaefer, Senior Director of Marketing

The Law Offices of Frederick W. Nessler and Associates