Falls from a bed in a nursing home can cause serious harm to elderly patients. If your loved ones have experienced such a fall, it’s important to know how to respond quickly. Nursing homes are responsible for providing safe care, and understanding your rights can help you seek justice if negligence is involved in a patient fall.
Taking action quickly after a patient fall can make all the difference in the outcome. A nursing home abuse attorney can help you understand your legal options for seniors who fall out of a nursing home bed. Here’s what you need to do immediately after learning that a patient has fallen from a nursing home bed.
Seek Medical Attention
The first step is to get medical attention for the fallen right away. Even if the injury seems minor, falls in nursing homes can lead to hidden problems such as fractures or even head trauma. A medical professional should assess the fallen patient to make sure that they receive proper treatment.
Document the Incident and Gather Evidence
The next thing to do is document the fall. If possible, take pictures of the bed, bedding accessories, and the surrounding area. Take note whether bed rails were in place or if there were any faulty equipment issues. Gathering evidence is crucial for a strong case for nursing home abuse injuries. This includes medical records, witness statements, and documentation of the details of the fall. A nursing home abuse attorney near you can help collect and organize this information for your case.
Causes of Nursing Home Bed Falls
Many factors can contribute to an elderly person falling out of bed. Understanding these causes can help determine if you should consider a negligence lawsuit against a nursing home.
Lack of Bed Rails and Improper or Faulty Equipment
Bed rails are meant to prevent patients from rolling out of bed. If bed rails are improperly installed or missing, the risk for a fall increases. The lack of proper rails is often a major factor in nursing home abuse lawsuits.
Faulty equipment, such as broken beds or malfunctioning lifts, can also lead to falls. Nursing homes must maintain equipment to prevent accidents. A fall caused by faulty equipment being utilized by the residence may justify a negligent lawsuit against the nursing home.
Lack of Supervision for Medical Conditions or for Patients Taking Medications
Inadequate supervision is another common cause of falling in a nursing home. Patients with mobility issues or a history of falls should never be left unsupervised. A nursing home abuse attorney can investigate whether poor supervision contributed to a fall.
Some patients are at a higher risk of falling due to medical conditions or the side effects of medications. A proper care plan for fall risk should account for this instance, with regular monitoring and supervision. If this type of monitoring has been overlooked, it may lead to a nursing home fall lawsuit.
Legal Rights of the Injured Patient
If a loved one falls in a nursing home, they have certain rights to protect them, including the Right to Safe Living Conditions. Understanding these rights is important when seeking legal action with nursing home abuse attorneys.
Patients who live in a nursing home have the right to live in a safe environment. This includes proper supervision, well-maintained equipment, and care plans to meet their needs. If these rights are violated, you may be able to sue the facility for negligence.
Understanding Nursing Home Negligence
Negligence in nursing homes occurs when the facility fails to provide proper care, which can lead to injuries. This can include failing to prevent falls, improper staffing, or neglecting a patient’s needs. Nursing home abuse attorneys can evaluate if negligence caused your loved one’s fall and guide you in filing a nursing home lawsuit.
Consult with a Nursing Home Abuse Attorney
If you suspect that the Nursing home or caretaker may have been negligent, consult with a nursing home abuse attorney. An attorney for nursing home abuse will help determine whether you have grounds for a lawsuit. Many people wonder if it’s difficult to sue a nursing home for a patient fall, but filing a claim is not usually the hard part of the process, rather proving that the Nursing Home had been negligent is typically more difficult. While the process can be complex, skilled nursing home abuse attorneys near you can make the process much smoother.