Hospital and Nursing Home Falls

Falls in Nursing Homes Indicate Negligence

Nursing homes across the nation are required by both federal and state law to screen each and every resident for the risk of falls through a fall-risk assessment. This is to ensure that proper attention and care is given to those who rank high for a hospital or nursing home fall.

However, many times these assessments are not properly done. And even with strict assessments, nursing home residents will continue to fall if they are left unattended, which unfortunately happens quite frequently in understaffed nursing homes.

When Fall-Risk Nursing Home Residents are Unattended, Falls Happen

When a resident at high-risk for falling goes unattended, it’s usually only a matter of time before a fall occurs, which can result in severe injuries, hospitalization, and sometimes death. Federal and state law mandate that staff members provide the security and attention that these residents need, yet for many reasons, these accidents keeps happening.

Typically, unattended falls in the nursing home are caused by:

• Untrained staff: Staff members should be properly trained on how to monitor residents at all times, especially those at risk for falls and injuries.
• Nursing home understaffing: This is a common problem in nursing homes as the turnover rate is extremely high in many facilities. Understaffed employees are usually overwhelmed and find that they cannot provide enough quality for every resident.
• Negligent staff behavior: In some cases, staff members are simply negligent and are not properly watching the residents.

Unattended Falls in Nursing Homes: Who is Responsible?

If a resident has been assessed as a high risk for falls, nursing home staff members must always look after them. In other words, no matter where the residents go, a staff member should be on hand at all times.  Many accidents happen within only a few minutes of staff members diverting their attention.

Even though residents have the right to their own privacy, it’s imperative that caregivers understand the risk associated with falling. Ideally, a resident should be monitored at all times, even when bathing, using the restroom, getting dressed, and grooming. Residents prone to falling can fall at anytime, even when just brushing their teeth, and it’s extremely important for staff members to monitor them at all times.

In some instances, the fall may be unavoidable, but in instances in which the nursing home staff acted negligently, they may be responsible for damages. Typically, a resident’s record, including medical issues and previous falls will be assessed along with information regarding the situation in which the fall happened. If liability is found to be with the nursing home staff, the facility may be responsible for damages, including medical bill, pain and suffering, and more.

Hiring an Attorney for Nursing Home Fall Injuries

If you or a loved one have been victim to nursing home abuse and have been injured or killed after a fall in a nursing home, an experienced nursing home abuse attorney may be able to assist you.

At MedMalFirm.com, our leading team of nursing home abuse attorneys handle nursing home fall cases involving serious injuries, broken bones, and death. Give us a call today and we’ll be happy to provide you with a free consultation. You can reach us toll free at 877-887-4850.

See Our Additional Resources