In contrast to falls from greater heights, ground-level falls - essentially falls from a standing position, with feet touching the ground prior to the fall - have traditionally been considered minor injuries. But, the new study found elderly adults - 70 years or older - who experience ground-level falls are much more likely to be severely injured and less likely to survive their injuries compared to adults younger than 70 years. Elderly patients are three times as likely to die following a ground-level fall compared to their under-70 counterparts.