When Is a Nursing Home Legally Responsible for a Resident’s Fall-Related Death?

 Posted on February 04, 2022 in Nursing Home Neglect

When you have a loved one in a nursing home, you may understandably worry about his or her wellbeing. While many nursing homes are staffed with compassionate, knowledgeable workers, some nursing homes fail to meet the high expectations residents and loved ones expect.

When a nursing home fails to maintain a safe facility, property monitor residents, and provide for the residents’ needs, avoidable injuries and deaths can occur. If your loved one died after falling at a nursing home facility, you may be able to seek justice through a nursing home negligence claim.

Preventing Fall Accidents Should Be a Top Priority in Nursing Homes

Falling down can lead to injuries regardless of the person’s age. However, elderly individuals are much more likely to suffer severe and fatal injuries in a fall than young people. In fact, falling is the leading cause of injury-related death for people over 65 years old. Unfortunately, statistics show that the rate of deaths caused by fall accidents is rising.

Nursing homes should take precautions to prevent falls, including:

• Ensuring that residents’ rooms, hallways, and common areas are free of obstacles and clutter
• Immediately cleaning up spills that could lead to slip and fall accidents
• Monitoring residents for medication side effects like dizziness that could make them more likely to fall
• Ensuring that residents with mobility issues use appropriate assistive devices such as a walker or wheelchair
• Dressing residents appropriately
• Assisting residents with bathing, dressing, and other activities in which they may fall
• Equipping the facility with non-slip mats, raised toilet seats, grab bars, and other safety features
• Supervising residents throughout the day

When a nursing home or nursing home staff ignore these important responsibilities, residents are more likely to fall. If your loved one fell and you suspect that nursing home negligence or neglect was the cause, contact a nursing home negligence lawyer to discuss your legal options. You may be entitled to compensation for additional medical expenses, your loved one’s pain and suffering, lost companionship, and your own grief and suffering.

Damages in a Nursing Home Negligence Case

If your loved one died after falling in a nursing home, contact Kanoski Bresney to learn more about your legal options. Money from a wrongful death claim or lawsuit cannot bring your loved one back. However, taking legal action against the nursing home may be the best way to hold the facility responsible for this preventable tragedy.

Contact a Springfield Nursing Home Fall Lawyer

The accomplished Champaign nursing home negligence lawyers at Kanoski Bresney understand how devastating it can be to lose a loved one in a preventable fall accident. We can help you take legal action against the nursing home. Call our office at 888-826-8682 for a free consultation.

Source:

https://www.cdc.gov/falls/data/fall-deaths.html