Nursing Home Accident Attorney
Did your loved one have an accident while under the care of a nursing home?
An aging population means that more people will become nursing home residents in the near future. Placing your loved one in a nursing home can be a hard decision, but there comes a point in many lives where nursing home care is the only option. While many nursing homes are well-run, that is not true for all nursing homes. If your loved one is in a nursing home, you want to ensure they receive good care.
All nursing elder neglect is entirely preventable, but unfortunately, nursing home neglect still happens. Many nursing homes are understaffed. Others have poorly trained nursing aids with a poor track record of caring for difficult patients. Falls are the most common form of neglect, followed by misfiled medications.
If your loved one has fallen while under the care of a nursing home, contact a nursing home neglect lawyer immediately. An experienced injury lawyer can advise you of the next steps. Most injuries from falls are preventable.
How can a nursing home accident attorney help?
It can be devastating to learn that your loved one has not been properly cared for by nursing home staff. There is no reason to tackle this problem alone. You need an experienced attorney to help hold the nursing home and its staff accountable for their actions. At Warren & Simpson, our nursing home lawyers have the experience and resources to jump into your case and investigate what is going on behind closed doors.
For a free consultation, call our experienced nursing home neglect and elder abuse lawyers at 256-539-7575.
When is a nursing home liable for neglect or elder abuse?
What are the warning signs of nursing home abuse or elder neglect?
The elderly members of our society are some of the most vulnerable. It is important that loved ones recognize the signs of mistreatment or neglect. Here are some common signs of abuse or neglect:
- Falls without major injuries
- Falls not being reported to the resident's families
- Bedsores
- Bruises or bleeding
- Unexplained diseases or infections
- Falls
- Malnutrition
- Emotional withdrawal
It is important for family members to keep a close eye on their loved ones who live in a nursing home and seek legal counsel if they believe that abuse may have taken place.
When should a nursing home accident lawyer be contacted?
If an accident has occurred at a nursing home and your loved one has sustained an injury, it is time to talk to a nursing home lawyer. Broken hips and head injuries are the most common injuries. They are also the most devastating and life-threatening.
Nursing home statistics from the CDC
- A typical nursing home with 100 residents reports 100 to 200 falls per year on average, with many others likely not being reported.
- Between 50 and 74 percent of all nursing home, residents fall each year, many fall multiple times.
- Falls kill around 1,800 nursing home residents per year.
- More than a third of the fall injuries happen to nursing home residents who can't walk, for example falling from a bed or a wheelchair.
Can a nursing home be sued for a fall?
Most nursing home injuries are preventable. Nursing homes know that elderly people are particularly vulnerable to falling. Falls may prove fatal to older people or result in permanent disability. In fact, a fall outside of a nursing home may end up as the main reason a person becomes a nursing home resident.
Nursing homes should have numerous safety measures in place to prevent falls. These include keeping the hallways clear and free of clutter or equipment. Hallways should have handrails to help residents with poor mobility move more easily. All areas should have good lighting so that elderly residents, many with poor eyesight, have a good view of their surroundings. Ensuring beds are not too high can help prevent falls out of the bed, and bathrooms require grab bars and raised toilet seats for fall prevention. Hip pads given to residents can help prevent fractures in case of a fall.
Some residents are at greater risk of falling than others, and nursing home supervisors should instruct staff to teach residents of sound mind ways to avoid falling. Since certain medications can make patients dizzy or otherwise raise the risk of falling, staff should conduct a medication review and speak with healthcare providers about substitution or changing the medication schedule to reduce the risk of falling.
Contact a Nursing Home Abuse and Negligence Lawyer
If you or a loved one have experienced poor care or abuse in a nursing home, you need the services of an experienced nursing home abuse and negligence lawyer. Call us today or contact us online to arrange a free initial consultation.