Each year, hundreds of seniors fall in nursing homes. These falls can result in a number of common injuries, including fractures and broken bones. If you have a loved one in a nursing home, it is important to educate yourself on the common causes of falls, as well as the legal steps that may need to be taken in the event that your loved one is injured.
Common Causes of Nursing Home Falls
There are many potential causes that can lead to an accidental fall for a senior in a nursing home. Often times falls occur as a result of medical issues in a resident, such as muscle weakness or gait problems.
However, environmental problems can also contribute to these accidents. Poor lighting, spills/wet floors, and obstructions can all pose a risk for seniors in a nursing home. In some cases, certain medications (especially anxiety and sedative medications) can make a senior in a nursing home more prone to fall.
It is also not uncommon for seniors to experience a fall when attempting to move from one room to another without the help of facility staff.
What Do I Do if a Loved One is Injured?
In the event that a loved one is injured in a nursing home fall, it will be important that you take the appropriate steps to protect your loved one and his or her rights. If you suspect that the fall occurred as a result of negligence on part of the nursing home, then, of course, you will want to take the right legal steps. For example, if your loved one fell as a result of a spill on the floor that was not cleaned up or an otherwise poorly maintained environment, then negligence could be to blame.
One of the most challenging aspects of taking legal action against a nursing home for negligence is that of proving liability. This is why it’s so important to consult with an experienced attorney regarding your case before you take any further legal steps. He or she will be able to evaluate your case and determine what next steps will need to be taken in order to prove liability against the nursing home.
As a result of the accident, you or your loved one could be entitled to compensation for medical bills, pain and suffering, and additional expenses. Typically, this type of case would fall under the umbrella of a civil lawsuit.
If a loved one has been injured in a fall at a nursing home and you suspect negligence could be to blame, we encourage you to contact one of our experienced attorneys here at Ginnis, Krathen, & Zelnick, P.A. We focus on personal injury and wrongful death litigation, and have many years of experience handling nursing home cases.
Contact us today so we can set up your case evaluation, which is a free, no-obligation conversation you have with one of our attorneys. We can help you determine if there is liability or fault on the part of the nursing home.