According to a new report by the National Safety Council (NSC), the number of U.S. accidental deaths has risen to a record high, with drug overdoses and falls as leading causes.
In 2014, there were 136,053 preventable injuries or accidents, which represents a nearly 60-percent increase since 1992. In 1992, the number of accidents was the lowest in 68 years.
Preventable injuries are the fourth leading cause of death, trailing cancer, respiratory and heart disease.
The main causes of preventable deaths in the U.S. are:
- Suffocation among children younger than age one
- Drowning among children age one to four
- Auto accidents among people age five to 24
- Poisoning, mainly from drug overdoses, among people age 25 to 64
- Falls among people age 65 and older
Eliminating Preventable Deaths in the U.S.
The NSC has set a goal of eliminating all accidental deaths in the U.S. One of their strategies is to educate Americans about their risk of suffering a preventable death.
The NSC created the “Safety Checkup Tool” so people can find out the biggest risks to their safety. The tool provides a personalized safety profile based on your age, gender, job and the place you live. The NSC hopes that Americans can avoid preventable deaths by knowing about the greatest threats to their safety.
The experienced South Bend personal injury attorneys at Pfeifer, Morgan & Stesiak understand how tragic accidental deaths can be. We help clients who have lost loved ones due to another’s negligence on the job, in nursing homes, in auto accidents and because of medical malpractice.
If you have lost a loved due to someone else’s negligence, call our experienced personal injury team today to discuss your legal options. We offer a free, no-obligation consultation and you do not pay us anything unless we secure fair compensation.
Contact us today by calling (574) 444-0741.
