Falls become more likely as you get older due to weakened musculature and an aging brain whose balance sensors found in the inner ear start to deteriorate. Falls among the elderly carry a high fatality rate, and it’s for this reason that nursing homes should do their best to ensure that their residents are monitored and protected from such incidents at all time. When a nursing home fall occurs at a nursing home, you can almost be sure that it happened due to worker negligence or a lapse in monitoring, making it a litigable offense.
Are you looking for a nursing home fall attorney? Please call our nursing home abuse lawyers NOW at 1 (773) 825-3547 for more information on what we can do for you. Our lawyers handle all types of nursing home lawsuits, and we have at our disposal numerous resources to help you investigate the event and determine who was at fault with regard to your loved one’s injuries or death. Call 1 (773) 825-3547 to speak to a nursing home lawyer for free.
Fall accidents in the elderly occur due to:
- Icy or wet floors
- Little to no monitoring
- Understaffing of the facility, leaving residents to their own devices
- Physical obstacles in hallways
- Improper or rough handling by nursing home attendants
Nursing Home Fall Statistics
The CDC estimates that over 20,000 older adults die each year due to nursing home falls. In addition, one in three seniors will be a victim of a fall in any given year, and hip fractures are common during falls. Hip fractures can be particularly dangerous due to the invasive nature of the surgeries performed to fix these, as well as the increased risk for infection.
Duty of Care in Nursing Home Fall Cases
Legally, something called duty of care requires that nursing homes provide a level of care that is deemed reasonable under present circumstances to all residents at all times. This duty of care is breached when there is negligence such as in the case of nursing homes not making sure hallways are free of obstacles and that residents are assisted whenever they have to go somewhere or use the restroom. Nursing homes are required to assess risks found in their environment and take the necessary steps to minimize or eliminate these risks to keep their residents safe. Failure to do this constitutes negligence, and that is where we come in. while falls are to be expected as one ages, they should not in any way be a “free pass” for nursing homes, absolving them of responsibility or liability.
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If your loved one suffered injuries after a fall at any nursing home, you may be able to file a claim to recover the cost of medical treatment, loss of companionship, pain and suffering and so much more. To set up a free and private legal consultation, just call 1 (773) 825-3547 and speak with an experienced nursing home falls attorney. We look forward to hearing from you.