Northern California Nursing Home Slip and Fall Accident Lawyers
Nursing Home Slip and Fall Accident
Careful planning and adequate supervision can prevent many slip and fall accidents, however, because of negligence of caregivers and staff, slip and fall accidents are responsible for thousands of nursing home residents’ serious injuries and deaths each year. Family members of nursing home residents that have sustained a serious injury due to a fall at a hospital or skilled nursing facility should speak with a lawyer immediately. A northern California slip and fall accident lawyer at Estey Bomberger can review the injured victim's potential case and determine if compensation may be recovered for the residents’ injuries, including medical expenses, pain and suffering and other related damages.
Causes of Nursing Home Slip and Fall Accidents
Nursing home facilities are required to create care plans that identify a nursing home resident’s potential for a fall. Based on this information, caregivers must determine what assistance and guidance the resident may need to move around the premises. Unfortunately, nursing homes and their staff members do not always successfully implement individualized care plans, increasing the potential for a slip and fall accident occurring. Furthermore, as the health of a patient or resident declines, caregivers may not provided additional needed assistance that was not necessary previously. Because of their frail nature and sometimes problems with balance, elderly adults are at a high risk of falling. Causes of nursing home slip and fall accidents can be both physical and environmental, and include:
- Wet floors
- Inadequate lighting
- Poorly maintained wheelchairs
- Unethical use of sedatives
- Understaffing
- Insufficiently trained staff
- Poorly maintained premises
- Lack of bedrails and facility handrails
- Unethical use of restraints
- Lack of exercise or physical therapy.
Northern California Nursing Home Slip and Fall Injuries
Suffering a serious nursing home slip and fall accident injury can lead to a diminished quality of life for a nursing home resident, and may even cause a premature death. Residents may experience a slip and fall head injury, spinal cord injury, coma, concussion, broken bone injury, lacerations, infection, dislocations, sprains, bruises and other injuries. One must also consider the resident’s current health condition as a result of advanced age and previous impairments or ailments, which can negatively impact their recovery from a slip and fall accident. In some cases, an elderly person who fractures a hip in a fall may never walk again.
Physical and Chemical Restraints
Physical and chemical restraints, such as vests, belts and sedatives, are sometimes used as a tool in preventing falls at nursing homes and hospitals. Recently, this practice has been frowned upon because of the inappropriate use of restraints and the effects it has on nursing home residents. Several studies have shown that the use of physical and chemical restraints generally does not reduce the risk of slip and fall accidents in nursing homes and, in fact, can limit the nursing home residents’ mobility. In addition, the use of physical and chemical restraints can inflict psychological distress and lead to further physical deterioration. To prevent a nursing home slip and fall accident, chemical and physical restraints should only be used as a last resort and at the recommendation of a physician.
Our Clients’ Needs Come First
At the law firm of Estey Bomberger, we always put the needs of our clients above all else and commit, from beginning to end, to professional and assertive representation. Our northern California nursing home neglect attorneys will put their extensive knowledge of nursing home abuse litigation to work for you to ensure that you receive nothing less than the maximum compensation you or your loved one may be entitled to. We will pursue the negligent or careless nursing home facility or staff member and hold them responsible for the pain they have caused your loved one and your family. Call today at (800) 890-6722 to schedule a free consultation. An attorney can arrange to meet you at your home or hospital, with no obligation.