A Fall in a Nursing Home May Give Rise to a Claim for Nursing Home Abuse or Negligence
When seniors are cared for in a nursing home facility, you expect them to be cared for professionally. When the caregivers act in a negligent way, causing broken bones, bed sores or other injury, they need to be held accountable for their actions.
If you or your family member fell in a nursing home, it may have been the result of abuse or neglect. Nursing homes in New York have a duty to provide adequate supervision and care to their residents. When they violate that duty, and it causes you to fall and break something, you may be able to file a lawsuit in civil court. A successful claim could result in the collection of substantial damages.
At Alonso Krangle, LLP, our lawyers can help if you or a loved one has been injured by neglect or abuse in a nursing home.
Statistics Show that Seniors are at Risk of Falling and Sustaining Injuries
The National Council on Aging report on findings by the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention highlights the dangers of falling to our rapidly aging population. It states:
- One in four Americans aged 65+ falls each year.
- Every 11 seconds, an older adult is treated in the emergency room for a fall.
- Every 19 minutes, an older adult dies as the result of a fall.
- Falls are the leading cause of fatal injury and the most common cause of nonfatal trauma-related hospital admissions among older adults.
These statistics are evidence that senior citizens are at great risk of falling and breaking bones or sustaining other injuries that can lead to death. When our elderly loved ones are under in the care of a nursing home, it is up to the staff to protect them from such injuries.
Falling in a Nursing Home Can Cause Broken Bones and Serious Injuries
A fall for many people is not a traumatic event. However, for the elderly, it can result in broken bones and substantial pain from injuries. We see many of the following in nursing home accidents:
- Broken hip from falling in a nursing home
- Broken wrists
- Broken arm from falling
- Broken elbow because of a fall
- Broken nose
- A fractured skull caused by falling and hitting your head
- Broken clavicle
- Broken ankle
- Broken back
- Broken neck
- Fractured pelvis
Nursing Homes Must Provide Adequate Supervision to Residents
When you live in a nursing home, the employees must take care of you in the appropriate manner. They must provide you with the services you need to remain healthy, content, and safe. Because nursing home residents often need a high level of care, there is ample room for staff members to act negligently, causing an elderly person to fall and become injured.
- Did you fall and break your hip on your way to the restroom because your caretaker didn’t accompany you?
- Did you fall and hit your head in the shower because the nursing home failed to secure a shower seat?
- Did you fall out of your chair and hurt your back because no one came to help you up?
- Did you fall and sustain broken bones in a nursing home and not receive adequate medical attention?
- Did you wander out of the building and fall because the nursing home was not paying attention?
- Did you fall and break something on a wet floor in the nursing home?
If the nursing home or its staff was negligent, you may be able to file a lawsuit for negligence. Falls may occur without fault. However, it is more likely that a condition in the nursing home or the failure of someone to act contributed to your injuries. To find out if you have a claim against the nursing home, contact our lawyers at Alonso Krangle, LLP.
Contact Our Nursing Home Abuse Lawyers to Learn More About Filing a Claim for Negligence
The decision to place a loved one in a nursing home is never an easy one. A nursing home is often the last resort for parents or spouses who can no longer care for themselves. When you pay others to supervise and care for your loved ones or even yourself, it is with the hope that they will do so with competence. The last thing you expect is for you or your family member to suffer broken bones from falling in a nursing home.
If you or your loved one is being abused or neglected in a nursing home, you should alert the authorities. You should also seek to protect your legal rights by calling our office at 800-403-6191. Our nursing home abuse lawyers will act quickly to ensure that your claim is investigated and pursued to the fullest extent possible. We will listen to your story, interview the residents where possible and explain the legal remedies available to you and your family.
If you think that your loved one has been a victim of nursing home or elder abuse, call 800-403-6191 today.