Falls cause most injuries
The loss of balance and personal control is the number one reason for increasing ACC claims in Rodney.
The number of claims ACC receives from the Rodney district is increasing yearly with a total of 28,644 made last year.
A total of 24,351 claims were made in Rodney in 2014, costing a total of $20,245,161 and 25,044 were made in 2015 costing $23,355,250.
In 2016 the number of claims raised by 3,600, costing $20,500,049.
Falls were the number one cause of injury at all ages throughout the three years.
ACC’s Suzanne Muth said statics show falls are the main cause of injury amoung people aged 65 and above.
In 2014 the number of related claims was 5,804, in 2015 it was 6,787, and in 2016 it had increased to 6,556 claims for falls.
People need to ‘‘remove damp leaves, other vegetation and moss from pathways, and use metal or rubber tread strips on stairs,’’ Muth said.
The second most common claim was a result of lifting, carrying or a strain. The number of claims in 2014 for this was 3,648, in 2015 it was 3,796, and last year it was 4,213.
Slipping was reported as the third most common with 2,465 claims last year.
The most common diagnosis in 2016 was burns and the second most common was concussions.
‘‘Make sure all paths and stairs are well lit. Sensor lights and solar-powered lamps are available from hardware stores.’’
Suzanne Muth