Phoenix Nursing Home Fall Negligence

Nursing Home Negligence Lawyer

How serious is the problem?

Each year, a typical 100-bed nursing home reports 100 to 200 falls. Many others go unreported. According to some experts, an estimated 75% of nursing home residents fall down at least once a year. This represents a percentage double the rate for seniors living in a community setting. Patients often experience multiple falls - 2.6 falls per person per year on average. About 35% of fall injuries occur among non-ambulatory residents. Of the 20% of all falls that result in death involving older Americans, roughly 5% happen to those living in nursing homes. Elderly people are more likely to have dangerous falls; that is why nursing homes are expected to prevent falls when possible. When a nursing home fall causes serious injury or wrongful death, contact the nursing home neglect lawyers at the Knapp & Roberts law firm in Scottsdale, Arizona.

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How can falls in nursing homes be prevented?

While some falls cannot be prevented, a nursing home can provide supervision, safety equipment, and staff training that will prevent most falls or lessen the severity of injuries. In order to prevent falls, proper medical treatment, physical therapy, and special environmental accommodations must be provided. Interventions include:

• Adequate staffing can help prevent falls. When staff members are available to help residents get in and out of bed, for example, that can help prevent falls.
• When a patient does fall, the patient should be given proper medical care. A nursing home patient could break a hip or leg that is untreated and unnoticed because the patient is bedridden.
• The nursing home can provide alarms that alert the staff when a patient attempts to leave a bed or get out of a chair unassisted.
• Residents who are unsteady on their feet can be given special padding for the hips to help prevent a break.
• Do staff members fail to respond to call lights? When a nursing home resident cannot get the help they need, they may try getting out of bed or out of a bath by themselves.
• Equipment such as lower beds, bed rails, and side alarms can help prevent the chances of a resident falling.
• Is the nursing home kept clean and uncluttered? Wet or greasy floors and cluttered areas contribute to dangerous nursing home falls.
• Any time a patient falls, family members should be notified.

If a loved one fell in a nursing home and suffered a serious injury or wrongful death, talk to a nursing home neglect lawyer about the circumstances. We can help you determine what you should do.

Free initial consultation. Are we the right law firm for you? If not, we will refer you to a law firm that better suits your particular circumstances. It will not cost you anything to find the right attorney.