Nursing Home Residents Are Highly Vulnerable To Fatal Fall Accidents
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA (July 13, 2024) – Older adults at nursing homes remain very vulnerable to being killed or seriously injured in a fall in a nursing home setting.
There are a number of different reasons that may contribute to falls. But a new study has revealed that for-profit facilities tend to have lower quality ratings and more instances of safety violations.
Certain residents with medical conditions or who are on certain medications are at a greater risk of falling. These residents should be carefully monitored. But far too often, this does not take place.
A 92-year-old woman named Grace Song was identified as being vulnerable to falling due to her medical condition. But she was still left alone in a bathroom, where she fell and was injured.
This is not an isolated incident. It is estimated that nursing home residents fall at around twice the rate as those not living in nursing homes.
Liability For Falls In Nursing Homes
Thousands of people die or are seriously injured in a nursing home setting each year. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, “About 1,800 older adults living in nursing homes die each year from fall-related injuries and those who survive falls frequently sustain hip fractures and head injuries that result in permanent disability and reduced quality of life.” Nursing homes should take a number of measures in order to prevent nursing home deaths.
- Nursing home should conduct comprehensive risk assessments for each resident to identify who is at a higher risk of falling.
- Nursing homes should develop individualized care plans for all residents.
- Nursing homes should ensure there is adequate lighting in all areas.
- Nursing home residents should be provided with well-fitting, non-slip footwear.
Nursing homes have a legal obligation to adequately care for all of their residents. The Nursing Home Reform Act(1987) is a federal statute that prohibits the abuse of nursing home patients. According to the statute, “A skilled nursing facility must provide services to attain or maintain the highest practicable physical, mental, and psychosocial well-being of each resident.” When a nursing home fails to take reasonable steps in order to protect guests from falls, this could form the basis of a negligence claim. There are several ways that a nursing home may have failed to properly care for a resident injured in a fall.
- Inadequate Supervision: Nursing homes often do not have enough staff to closely monitor residents.
- Poorly Maintained Facilities: Unsafe environments in a nursing home setting may have contributed to a fall. This could include leaving spills on the floor.
- Lack of Bed Rails: Nursing home staff may have failed to install bed rails.
- Medication Errors: Nursing home staff may have failed to give residents medications designed to help stabilize them.
The vast majority of falls that happen in a nursing home setting are preventable and involve some amount of negligence. The major problem at most nursing homes is understaffing. Nursing home residents need a lot of care and additions. When there aren’t enough staff at a nursing home, accidents are much more likely to take place. The family of any person who dies in a nursing home setting due to a fall or other accident may be able to seek some measure of justice through a civil claim.
Getting Legal Help After A Nursing Home Fall
We at the Sehat Law Firm extend our best wishes to all of the people and families who have been impacted by nursing home falls. These injuries sustained in these falls can be devastating, and many victims do not survive. Nursing homes should be doing everything in their power to properly supervise residents. But far too often, these facilities simply don’t have the staff required to make sure residents are properly cared for.
Have you or someone that you care about been injured in a nursing home fall? Our team of nursing home abuse attorneys is here to help you. We care deeply that accident victims get the support and justice that they are entitled to under the law. Whether you just have legal questions or need any type of support, we are here for you. You can reach out to us anytime at (949) 825-5200.
Legal Disclaimer
