Bed handles, also known as bed rails are helpful implements for the elderly who have a hard time using their arms to launch themselves off a bed. These were first created by an engineer caring for her wife who had been weakened by multiple sclerosis, and were meant to provide additional support for weak patients or the elderly. However, it soon became apparent that these devices which are fitted on either side of the bed were deathtraps waiting to happen.
How Bed Handles Lead to Injuries
Bed handles or rails pose several risks to patients that depend on them to get out of a bed. Since most of them are not properly secured to the bed frame, there is a possibility that a patient or elderly person can become trapped in the space between the mattress and the bed rail, leading the cutting off of blood supply. This can then cause things like brain injuries due to inadequate blood and oxygen to the brain, amputations if a limb is caught between them for hours without intervention, strangulation or suffocation, or falls when an elderly person’s leg is caught in the bed space as they prepare to get out of bed.
FDA Bed Handle Recall Notice
A few years back, the FDA issued a recall notice when a person died and four were injured due to bed rail issues. There are hundreds of thousands of these devices which were sold in equipment and specialty stores, and it is alleged that injuries and deaths were due to these equipment not having retention straps to stop them from moving around during use.
Bed Handle Injuries are Preventable – Legal Help Available
Injuries caused by bed handles or rails are preventable. Most of the time, defective products are to blame, making manufacturers culpable and answerable to the law via a product liability lawsuit. Given the complexity of these cases, it is important to speak with us so we can assess all the facts and evidence to see whether you have a case. Please give us a call today on 877-561-3004 for your free and confidential consultation. Thanks for choosing us, and we look forward to serving you.