News & opinion Can I Sue after a Fall in a Nursing Home?

Can I Sue after a Fall in a Nursing Home?

Thous

nds of nu

sing home

esidents e inju

ed in

ccident

l f

lls e

ch ye

. In f

ct,

cco

ding to info

m

tion<

h

ef="http:

/

.cdc.gov

home

nd

ec

e

tion

ls

fety/f

lls

nu

sing.html" tget="_bl

nk”

el="noopene

nofollo

"> published by the Cente

s fo

Dise

se Cont

ol

nd P

evention (CDC)<>, bet

een one-h

lf

nd th

ee-qute

s of nu

sing home

esidents f

ll e

ch ye

. Fo

tun

tely, some of these inju

ies m

y be compens

ble by filing

<

h

ef=”https://c

inju

yvictims.com

file-

-pe

son

l-inju

y-cl

im

“>pe

son

l inju

y cl

im >

g

inst the pe

son o

f

cility

esponsible fo

you

o

you

loved one’s f

ll.

Nu

sing Home Li

bility

Nu

sing homes

nd

ssisted living f

cilities should

lys meet the medic

l needs of thei

esidents, m

ny of

hom m

y be p

one to issues such

s poo

b

l

nce o

cognitive difficulties. In

ddition, both st

te

nd fede

l l

s

equi

e th

t nu

sing homes m

int

in ce

t

in st

ndds

eg

ding p

tient s

fety

nd ce. The

e

lity, ho

eve

, is th

t nu

sing homes do not

l

ys follo

these st

nd

ds—sometimes

ith dis

st

ous consequences foesidents. Even

hen they

e in line

ith

egul

tions, nu

sing home st

ff m

y m

ke mist

kes th

t

esult in inju

y to p

tients.

Unde

the leg

l doct

ine of “negligence pe

se,” leg

l st

nd

ds imposed by l

c

n opete

s the

pplic

ble st

ndd of ce

hen t

ying to dete

mine negligence. To use

simple ex

mple,

d

ive

ho is d

iving f

ste

th

n the speed limit is “negligent” bec

use they e speeding. In the context of nu

sing homes, the st

ndds e often mo

e complic

ted,

nd it m

y be mo

e difficult to sho

th

t nu

sing homes did not comply

ith the l

, but the p

inciple

em

ins the s

me.

s esult,

hen f

lls e the

esult of non-compli

nce

ith the

pplic

ble st

te o

fede

l

egul

tions, it m

y be sufficient to est

blish leg

l li

bility fo

ny losses incu

ed.

Common C

uses of Nu

sing Home F

lls<

h2>
The

e e m

ny potenti

l ys th

t <

h

ef=”https://c

inju

yvictims.com

se

vices

houston-nu

sing-home-

buse-

tto

ney/”>nu

sing home neglect<> could c

use

esident to f

ll. Belo

e some common c

uses of nu

sing home f

lls.

L

ck of supe

vision<

h3>
P

t of the job of nu

sing home st

ff is to monito

nd supe

vise

esidents

hen they might inju

e themselves. M

ny nu

sing home

esidents h

ve mobility issues,

nd they might

equi

e

ssist

nce to lk do

n the h

ll, use the

est

oom, o

even get out of

heelch

i

o

bed.

hen st

ff membe

s f

il to p

ovide necess

y supe

vision

nd

ssist

nce to

esidents, someone c

n e

sily lose thei

b

l

nce o

st

ength

nd f

ll, suffe

ing se

ious inju

ies.

hile some f

lls h

ppen

ithout

ny notice to st

ff membe

s, the

e should be p

otocols in pl

ce fo

st

ff to p

ope

ly supe

vise

esidents to

void f

lling

nd suffe

ing hm.

L

ck of h

ndils<

h3>
Bec

use nu

sing homes

e

lize th

t m

ny

esidents might h

ve lessened b

l

nce, coo

din

tion, o

st

ength, these f

cilities should h

ve h

ndils

long

ll lkys

nd othe

e

s

he

e people might be

lking o

st

nding. This

y,

esidents c

n hold the h

ndils to help them

void f

lling should they stumble o

lose thei

b

l

nce. Ho

eve

, some nu

sing homes do not h

ve h

nd

ils eve

y

he

e they should,

nd

esidents tveling th

ough these

e

s of the home do not h

ve

nything to suppo

t them if they st

t to f

ll. The s

me is t

ue if existing h

nd

ils

e d

m

ged, poo

ly m

int

ined, o

othe

ise inc

p

ble of p

oviding necessy suppo

t fo

esidents.

Exposed elect

ic

l co

ds<

h3>
In ou

mode

n

o

ld, elect

ic

l co

ds e un

void

ble. F

om televisions to coffee m

chines, the

ppli

nces

e use eve

y d

y need to st

y plugged into ll outlets. Unfo

tun

tely, elect

ic

l co

ds

unning

c

oss the floo

pose

signific

nt t

ipping h

z

d, even

hen they e not in

long-te

m ce envi

onment. Long-te

m ce f

cilities should h

ve designs th

t

ccommod

te people

ith mobility o

vision issues,

nd they must t

ke ext

p

ec

utions to ensu

e th

t elect

ic

l co

ds e hidden o

positioned in

y th

t minimizes the

isk they pose to

esidents

nd visito

s.

In

pp

op

i

te

ctivities<

h3>
Nu

sing homes often h

ve

viety of

ctivities to keep

esidents occupied

nd enjoying thei

lives. Ho

eve

, they must p

ovide

ctivities

pp

op

i

te fo

the he

lth

nd

bilities of the pticip

nts. Fo

ex

mple, some nu

sing homes might h

ve d

nce lessons o

events,

nd m

ny

esidents might enjoy them. Ho

eve

, d

ncing might not be

n

pp

op

i

te

ctivity fo

esidents

ith high f

ll

isks. If

esidents

e

llo

ed to p

ticip

te in

ctivities th

t might h

ve

f

ll

isk, st

ff membe

s should

l

ys p

ovide the necessy supe

vision

nd

ssist

nce f

om st

t to finish. If st

ff gets distcted, it might le

d to

f

ll

nd se

ious inju

ies.

In

dequ

te lighting<

h3>

dequ

te lighting in nu

sing homes is c

itic

l foesident s

fety,

s m

ny

esidents h

ve vision p

oblems o

othe

issues th

t m

ke them mo

e likely to f

ll. This me

ns th

t nu

sing homes should be

ell lit, especi

lly in

e

s

he

e f

lls

e mo

e likely, such

s st

iells o

common

e

s.

hen

esidents c

n’t see

ell, they c

n suffe

se

ious f

lls th

t

ould be

void

ble h

d the f

cility inst

lled

dequ

te lighting.

Unsecu

ed f

cilities

Nu

sing homes should

l

ys ensu

e they h

ve

dequ

te secu

ity to keep

esidents f

om exiting the f

cility

nd nde

ing off

ithout p

ope

supe

vision

nd

ssist

nce.

hen

nu

sing home is unsecu

ed, the

e’s nothing to stop someone f

om

o

ming the g

ounds o

even le

ving the p

ope

ty on thei

o

n.

Some

esidents might get lost o

confused,

hile othe

s might

un into obst

cles like st

eets

ith he

vy tffic, uneven sidelks, cu

bs,

nd mo

e. These conditions might le

d to

f

ll. In

ddition,

hen esident le

ves

nu

sing home unsupe

vised, they might not h

ve c

nes, lke

s, o

othessist

nce th

t they usu

lly need to

lk p

ope

ly. Unsecu

ed f

cilities c

n le

d to f

lls in m

ny

ys.

Misdi

gnosis<

h3>
Nu

sing home

esidents c

n h

ve m

ny

ilments

nd inju

ies,

nd it is impo

t

nt fo

medic

l st

ff to p

ope

ly di

gnose e

ch condition to keep

esidents s

fe. If the medic

l te

m f

ils to p

ope

ly di

gnose

condition, the

esident o

st

ff might not be

e of limit

tions o

imp

i

ments th

t might impede theibility to lk. M

ny medic

l conditions c

n c

use

e

kness

nd stiffness,

hile

v

iety of inju

ies c

n c

use p

in o

othe

p

oblems

hen

ttempting to lk o

st

nd.

misdi

gnosis c

n le

d to in

dequ

te t

e

tment of conditions,

s

ell

s

heightened f

ll

isk,

hich c

n le

d to p

event

ble inju

ies.

Medic

tion e

o

s<

h3>
Medic

tions e often needed to m

n

ge symptoms

nd t

e

t medic

l conditions, though most medic

tions come

ith <

h

ef="https:

/

.fd

.gov/d

ugs

info

m

tion-consume

s-

nd-p

tients-d

ugs/finding-

nd-lening-

bout-side-effects-

dve

se-

e

ctions” t

get=”_bl

nk"

el=”noopene

nofollo

“>side effects >. If

nu

sing home

dministe

s too much medic

tion to

esident o

f

ils to supe

vise them

fte

giving them medic

tion

ith kno

n side effects, it might le

d to

f

ll. The

esident might think they c

n lk, only to find out—

hen it’s too l

te—th

t the medic

tion

esulted in dizziness o

othe

effects th

t hinde

thei

bilities. This c

n le

d to

f

ll if no one is supe

vising them. Unde

-medic

ting

esidents c

n le

d to f

lls

s

ell. If someone needs medic

tion to keep them

le

t, ste

dy, o

othe

ise st

ble,

nd they do not

eceive the necessy medic

tion, they might t

y to get up f

om bed

nd end up f

lling.

These

e f

f

om the only

e

sons

hy nu

sing homes might le

d to

f

ll

nd inju

ies to

esident. If you

e unsu

e

hethe

nu

sing home s negligent in you

loved one’s f

ll, you should let

Tex

s nu

sing home

tto

ney

evieh

t h

ppened.

e c

n ex

mine

hethe

the

e is evidence of negligence,

s

ell

s

hethe

the nu

sing home viol

ted

ny st

te o

fedel

egul

tions. Spe

k

ith ou

leg

l te

m

s soon

s possible to le

n

bout you

loved one’s

ights follo

ing

f

ll inju

y.

Inju

ies

nd Losses f

om Nu

sing Home F

lls

ss="

lign

ight" s

c=”https://c

inju

yvictims.comp-content

uplo

ds

2014/02/elde

-ce-home-

ights.jpg”

lt="Sue

fte

F

ll in

Nu

sing Home"

idth=”339″ height=”226″ />

hen oldedults f

ll, the

esulting complic

tions c

n be much mo

e se

ious th

n if the s

me f

ll h

ppened to

younge

pe

son.

s esult,

ny time

n oldedult f

lls, the f

cility should conduct

tho

ough medic

l ev

lu

tion to dete

mine

hethe

ny se

ious inju

ies exist.

hen medic

l help is not p

ovided, it m

y est

blish

dep

tu

e f

om the

ccepted st

nd

d of c

e

nd c

n be the b

sis fo

leg

l li

bility fo

ny d

m

ges th

t

victim sust

ins. Some common inju

ies th

t might

esult

hen

nu

sing home

esident f

lls include:

Fctu

ed Hips

Hip f

ctu

es e one of the mo

e common issues th

t

esult f

om oldedult f

lls,

nd they c

n le

d to ext

emely se

ious complic

tions. The <

h

ef=”https://

.cdc.gov

f

lls

hip-f

ctu

es.html" tget="_bl

nk”

el="noopene

nofollo

">Cente

s fo

Dise

se Cont

ol

nd P

evention (CDC)

epo

ts<> th

t mo

e th

n 300,000 senio

s ove

the

ge of 65 end up in the hospit

l fo

hip fctu

es,

nd the lge m

jo

ity of those fctu

es (95%) h

ppen due to f

lls.

Hip f

ctu

es e se

ious inju

ies fo

olde

dults. They often

equi

e su

ge

y,

hich h

s highe

isks fo

senio

s

ith

e

kened he

lth. Often, nu

sing home

esidents c

n't lk un

ssisted

fte fctu

ed hip.

T

um

tic Bin Inju

y

<

h

ef=”https://

.cdc.gov

t

um

ticbininju

y/index.html” t

get=”_bl

nk"

el=”noopene

nofollo

“>T

um

tic bin inju

ies > often occuhen nu

sing home

esidents f

ll

nd hit thei

he

ds o

e hit in the he

d by othe

objects.

ll TBIs e se

ious inju

ies, even

hen medic

l p

ofession

ls design

te them

s “mild” b

sed on v

ious di

gnostic c

ite

i

,

s they c

n

ll

esult in signific

nt long-te

m complic

tions

nd issues.

In m

ny c

ses, <

h

ef=”https://c

inju

yvictims.com

se

vices

houston-t

um

tic-bin-inju

y-tbi-

tto

ney/”>t

um

tic bin inju

ies >

esult in issues like memo

y loss, confusion, p

oblems communic

ting,

nd emotion

l

egul

tion st

uggles. In p

ticul

ly seve

e c

ses, TBIs c

n

esult in long-te

m cognitive issues th

t c

n

esult in the loss of the

bility to communic

te

nd eng

ge in t

sks victims once enjoyed.

senio

ith

TBI might expe

ience:

  • i

    -level="1">Long-te

    m unconsciousness

  • i

    -level="1">Memo

    y loss

  • i

    -level="1">Loss of

    e

    ding o

    communic

    tion

    bilities

  • i

    -level="1">Dep

    ession

    nd

    nxiety

  • i

    -level="1">Iit

    bility

    nd

    nge

    <

    li>

  • i

    -level="1">Loss of b

    l

    nce

    nd coo

    din

    tion

  • i

    -level="1">Loss of speech

    bilities

ll of these effects c

n h

ve

signific

nt imp

ct on the qu

lity of the senio

’s

em

ining life.

Spin

l Inju

y

hen nu

sing home

esidents suffe

<

h

ef=”https://medlineplus.gov/spin

lco

dinju

ies.html" tget="_bl

nk”

el="noopene

nofollo

">spin

l co

d inju

ies >, the

esults c

n be c

t

st

ophic.  Complete spin

l co

d inju

ies c

n

esult in p

lysis belo

the site of the inju

y,

nd incomplete SCIs c

n le

ve victims

ith p

in, limited mobility, loss of sens

tion,

nd othe

issues. Nu

sing home

esidents

ho suffe

spin

l co

d inju

ies often become bed

idden,

hich c

n, in tu

n, le

d to othe

issues th

t m

y seve

ely

ffect thei

qu

lity of life

nd

bility to enjoy the

ctivities they enjoyed befo

e theiccident. In the most seve

e c

ses, SCIs c

n be f

t

l o

di

ectly le

d to secondy medic

l issues th

t e ultim

tely f

t

l.

Othe

Fctu

es

The

e e m

ny othe

bones th

t nu

sing home

esidents c

n b

e

k

hen they f

ll, including:
  • -level=”1″>

    ists

  • i

    -level="1">Elbo

    s

  • i

    -level="1">ms<

    li>

  • i

    -level="1">Legs<

    li>

  • i

    -level="1">

    nkles

  • i

    -level="1">Feet<

    li>

  • i

    -level="1">Collbone<

    li>

  • i

    -level="1">

    ibs

  • i

    -level="1">Pelvis<

    li>

Some f

ctu

es might need su

ge

y to

lign the bone

nd inse

t h

d

e. Othe

s might t

ke months to he

l,

nd the

esident c

nnot lk o

st

nd independently in the me

ntime. H

ving limited mobility c

n le

d to othe

he

lth issues,

nd

ecove

y might

equi

e extensive physic

l thepy—if the

esident eve

fully

ecove

s

t

ll.

Contusions

nd L

cetions<

h3>

hile “cuts

nd b

uises” might not be

huge conce

n fo

younge

individu

ls, they

e mo

e se

ious inju

ies

hen they h

ppen to

n olde

dult. Olde

skin tissues b

e

k do

n

nd b

uise e

sie

, often le

ding to lge

b

uises th

t h

ve

difficult time he

ling. These e

s c

n get

e-b

uised ovend oveg

in, le

ding to

ch

onic

nd p

inful p

oblem.

hen

nu

sing home

esident suffe

s

l

cetion in

f

ll, the

isk of complic

tions might be highe

th

n fo younge

individu

l. M

ny senio

s develop diffe

ent bleeding diso

de

s, o

they might be on medic

tion th

t dec

e

ses blood clotting

bilities. If

l

ce

tion does not get p

ope

t

e

tment f

om the nu

sing home st

ff, the

isk of

life-th

e

tening infection c

n develop.

ll of the

bove inju

ies

nd mo

e c

n

equi

e medic

l

ttention, confinement to

bed oheelch

i

,

nd mo

e. M

ny people unde

estim

te the losses th

t

esidents might suffe

due to

n inju

y, but the consequences e extensive.

ddition

l Medic

l T

e

tment

Nu

sing home

esidents often need

egul medic

l c

e

nd

ttention fo

vious conditions,

nd

f

ll-

el

ted inju

y

ill only

dd to thei

t

e

tment

egimen. Medic

l t

e

tment fo

f

ll inju

ies c

n include:

  • i

    -level="1">Eme

    gency t

    nspo

    t

    tion to

    neby hospit

    l

  • i

    -level="1">Eme

    gency

    oom t

    e

    tment, including di

    gnostic tests

  • i

    -level="1">

    dmission to the hospit

    l<

    li>

  • i

    -level="1">Su

    gic

    l p

    ocedu

    es<

    li>

  • i

    -level="1">Medic

    tions

  • i

    -level="1">Medic

    l equipment

  • i

    -level="1">

    ssistive devices

  • i

    -level="1">Physic

    l the

    py

ll of these costs

ill

dd up ve

y quickly,

nd the

esident should not be

esponsible fo

such expenses if the nu

sing home’s negligence c

used the f

ll.

eh

bilit

tion

eh

bilit

tion c

n be

much longe

p

ocess fo

senio

s th

n fo

youngend he

lthie

dults. Olde

dults

e often st

ting

ith

e

ke

muscles

nd joints, so building up st

ength

fte fctu

e o

soft tissue inju

y c

n be

lengthy p

ocess. In

ddition, if

esident suffe

s

b

in inju

y,

eh

bilit

tion c

n be ch

llenging if they h

ve p

eexisting cognitive deficiencies. In f

ct, ce

t

in

esidents c

n neveeh

bilit

te to thei

p

e-TBI st

tes.

Loss of Qu

lity of Life<

h3>
Nu

sing home

esidents might

l

e

dy st

uggle

ith m

ny

spects of eve

yd

y life,

nd suffe

ing

f

ll inju

y c

n only m

ke thei

lives hde

.

hen

n inju

y c

uses

ddition

l physic

l o

cognitive limit

tions, it c

n

esult in less pticip

tion in

ctivities, soci

liz

tion, o

othe

things the

esident p

eviously enjoyed. Some

esidents c

n no longe

le

ve theiooms follo

ing

n inju

y,

hich c

n t

ke

huge toll on thei

h

ppiness.

P

in

nd Suffe

ing<

h3>
M

ny inju

ies le

d to signific

nt physic

l

nd emotion

l p

in

nd suffe

ing th

t c

n go on fo

eeks o

even months. Fo

tun

tely fo

victims, non-economic d

m

ges like p

in

nd suffe

ing e compens

ble unde

st

te l

. Bec

use these d

m

ges c

n be difficult to p

ove,

nyone seeking compens

tion fo

p

in

nd suffe

ing must spe

k to

n expe

ienced

tto

ney befo

e

ccepting

settlement offe

o

t

king othe

steps th

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