Nine sustain head injuries from falls at home each day: ACC

Falls in homes account for roughly a third of the 1.8 million claims ACC receives each year. Photo / Thinkstock

About nine people each day receive head injuries from falls in their home, according to ACC claim data.

News broke this week that broadcaster Susan Wood suffered a head injury following a fall in her home last month and was rushed to Auckland City Hospital.

It is understood Wood, who has been a journalist across print, radio and television since the late 1970s, fell down some stairs on January 10.

She is now receiving rehabilitation for the injury her sons Matt and Alex Beck confirmed in a joint statement, but the extent of the NewstalkZB presenter and Q+A TV host's injuries and her recovery progress was unknown.

Falls in homes accounted for roughly a third of the 1.8 million claims ACC received each year, said a spokeswoman.

Since 2012, more than 3,000 of those had resulted in head injuries.

According to the government agency's claim data, there were 3,382 in 2012, 3,221 in 2013 and 3,387 in 2014.

Those amounted to a combined bill of more than $8 million.

"The most recent information ... identifies home steps or stairs as the location which accounts for the highest number of claims," she said.

"Almost double other rooms and locations in or around the home."

The bathroom is the second most injurious room followed by the bedroom and then lounge.

"We suspect that one of the reasons we're so prone to injuries, such as falls, in the home is because the home is where we naturally feel safe and secure, and we 'let down' our guard a little.

"Also, we don't tend to have formal 'health and safety' practices in place in our homes, as most of us do in our workplaces."

The spokeswoman said falls often resulted from ladders, slipping over on spills or water on bathroom and kitchen floors, tripping over electrical cords, slipping on loose rugs or mats, tripping over toys and clutter left in walkways, slips on mossy paths and decks, and tripping over in the dark.

Home head injuries

• 2012: 3,382 cases | $2,927,597 in claims
• 2013: 3,221 cases | $2,920,792 in claims
• 2014: 3,387 cases | $2,325,804 in claims