Nursing Home Injury
Lawyers: Falls
For nursing home residents, a fall can cause serious injury and begin a downward spiral that results in wrongful death. About 1,800 people living in U.S. nursing homes die each year from falls, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
"While only about five percent of adults 65 and older live in nursing homes, nursing home residents account for about 20 percent of deaths from falls in this age group."
L. Z. Rubenstein, "Journal of the American Medical Association"
At Laizure & Thetford, we are recognized for our success in representing clients injured in nursing home falls.
If someone you care about was injured in a falling accident in a nursing home, we may be able to recover financial compensation for your loved one's pain and suffering, medical expenses and rehabilitation costs. If the injury was caused by serious nursing home abuse or neglect, we may be able to pursue punitive damages as well.
Preventing Slip-and-Fall Injuries
- Was the resident properly assessed for the risk of falling?
- Was a fall prevention plan developed and implemented?
- Did the facility maintain proper handrails in hallways and bathrooms?
- Did medication errors contribute to the fall?
Nursing home falls often occur when a resident is being transferred from a bed to a wheelchair or vice versa. Because of short staffing, a nurse or certified nursing assistant (CNA) may attempt this maneuver alone. We have read numerous accident reports in which the CNA or nurse described "easing the resident to the ground," when in fact, the resident fell and was seriously injured.
In one case, a CNA dropped our wheelchair-bound client, who broke both her legs in the fall. The nursing home did not seek medical assistance for the resident for days. By that time, the condition was inoperable and the woman died.
Nursing homes must be held responsible for their negligence. Pursuing nursing home injury litigation against irresponsible nursing homes is one way to encourage better behavior by all nursing homes.
To discuss your case, please contact us today. The initial consultation is free of charge and obligation. You will not pay any attorney fees unless we win financial compensation in your case.
From our office in Tulsa, we represent victims of nursing home falls throughout northeast Oklahoma.
