A fall in a nursing home can result in serious injuries and they should never happen in most cases. Many Californians are surprised to learn about the substantial number of falls resulting in injury in Orange County skilled nursing facilities and nursing homes. You would expect these places to be a safe and caring environment for elderly family members. Yet thousands of senior citizens are injured in falls in a convalescent center, nursing home or other long term care facility each year.
Some of these falls result in the wrongful death of the patient. The US Centers for Disease Control reports that almost 2,000 families lose a parent or grandparent due to a wrongful death in these types of facilities nationwide each year.
California law establishes high standards for the maintenance and upkeep of these facilities as well as the standard of care to be delivered. Our laws establish minimum staffing levels and the number of medical professionals which must be available at each site based upon patient load. Yet here in Orange County and across California there are many cases where a fall in a nursing home can result in serious injuries.
What are some of the causes of these accidents?
- Bed heights which are too high for patients to get out of
- Understaffing resulting in neglect
- Slippery floors and unsecured carpets and rugs
- Poor lighting and other property related risk factors
- Increased use of anti-psychotic medications to sedate patients
- Poor facilities maintenance
What serious injuries result from falls in a nursing home? The most common injuries in a nursing home fall include head injury such as Traumatic Brain Injury, a broken pelvis and other fractures to the wrists and arms.
The fact that a patient has fallen and suffered injuries leads to serious questions regarding negligence and liability. Rivers Morrell has represented accident and injury victims and their families for more than 40 years. If your parent, grandparent or beloved senior family member has been injured in a fall at a nursing home or long term care facility it is important to review the recommendations of our clients and the legal industry and contact us or call for a free consultation at 949-305-1400.
