Were Your Loved One’s Fall Injuries the Result of Nursing Home Neglect?
Falls are a relatively common occurrence among the elderly, many of whom suffer from medical conditions or disabilities that affect their balance. While many of these falls do occur in public or in private homes, an alarming number of fall-related injuries actually take place in nursing homes and are the result of negligence on the part of administrators and staff members. These injuries can have devastating consequences for residents, who may be slow to heal and also suffer from reduced mobility. In fact, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimates that as many as one out of every five falls causes a serious injury amongst the elderly.
Fortunately, negligent nursing homes can and should be held accountable for their failure to protect residents, so if you believe that a loved one’s recent fall was the result of negligence and have already obtained medical assistance for that individual, you should consider speaking with an experienced Tulsa nursing home fall attorney who can help you seek compensation for related medical bills and pain and suffering.
Preventing Falls
Nursing homes in Oklahoma are required under both state and federal law to take precautionary measures that will help protect residents from injury. When it comes to falls, this includes:
- Providing residents with proper shoes and walking aids;
- Removing environmental hazards that could trip residents, such as poor lighting, debris in walkways, slippery floors, and loose or torn carpeting;
- Ensuring that bed heights are correct and bed rail defects are immediately repaired;
- Treating patients for conditions that could cause poor balance, including low or high blood pressure, dizziness, and cardiac arrhythmias;
- Ensuring that staff members are trained in how to properly transfer a resident from a bed to a wheelchair and vise versa;
- Installing grab bars and handrails in showers, bathroom, bedrooms, and hallways; and
- Performing regular risk assessments for residents that include details about past accidents, the resident’s general physical health, and what types of medications the person is taking.
Residents are at a much higher risk of falling when these steps are neglected, resulting in both physical and mental injuries.
Fall-Related Injuries
Nursing home residents who fall as a result of neglect could suffer from serious physical injuries, including broken bones, lacerations, and head trauma. Injured residents, however, may also develop a fear of falling, which in turn could cause them to limit their activities, leading to reduced mobility and a loss of physical fitness, all of which actually increases the risk of falling. Reduced functioning can also cause other physical and mental changes that can contribute to a person’s overall ill health. Fortunately, nursing home residents whose falls can be attributed to someone else’s negligence could be entitled to compensation for their medical bills and pain and suffering.
Experienced Nursing Home Fall Lawyers
If your loved one was injured after falling in an Oklahoma nursing home, please call 918-492-4433 to speak with one of the experienced Tulsa nursing home fall attorneys at Levinson Law, P.C. about your legal options.
Resource:
cdc.gov/homeandrecreationalsafety/falls/adultfalls.html
