As people age, they become more susceptible to falls, which can lead to broken bones. When your loved one is a resident at a nursing home, you expect the staff at the facility to do everything possible to prevent falls and the accompanying injuries. However, if one of the staff members is not paying attention or chooses not to provide the support your loved one needs for moving around, he or she could suffer a fall. This fall can lead to significant pain and disability for your loved one, which is extremely frustrating when it did not need to happen.
Consider contacting an Austin bone fractures and breaks lawyer for help with your case. The team at Pintas & Mullins Law Firm will protect the rights of your loved one to receive a fair settlement for pain and suffering and medical costs related to the fall. For a free consultation, contact us today at (800) 842-6336.
Causes of Broken Bones in Nursing Homes
Older nursing home residents tend to have a greater chance of falling for a number of reasons, including:
● Poor balance: The elderly person may stumble and be unable to rebalance himself or herself in time to avoid a fall.
● Lack of strength: After a stumble, the elderly person does not have the strength to catch himself or herself on furniture or on a safety rail to avoid a fall.
● Poor eyesight: The elderly resident does not see hazards, such as a step or a bunched rug, leading to a trip and fall.
● Medication-related issues: The side effects of some medications that older people take can lead to light-headedness or significant fatigue, resulting in an unexpected fall.
Preventing Falls
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), about 28% of Americans aged 65 and older fall annually. In Texas, the number is even higher, at 33.9%.
These numbers clearly show that nursing home caregivers must do everything possible to remove falling hazards around the facility. They also must identify residents who could be a fall risk, related to the reasons listed earlier. Caregivers should ensure residents are receiving the nutrients they need for maximum bone health too.
If these things did not happen at your loved one’s facility, consider contacting the offices of an Austin bone fractures and breaks lawyer for help, such as Pintas & Mullins Law Firm. We do not shy away from taking on the toughest cases, and we take pride in defending the rights of victims of the negligence of others.
Difficulty in Recovering from Fractured Bones
Bone fractures create an especially difficult situation for elderly people. Bone health naturally deteriorates as a person ages, which means that senior citizens have a far more difficult time healing from a broken bone than a much younger person does.
Some seniors report having significant pain well after the bone fracture appears to have healed. Additionally, the healing process for a broken bone can take a few months in an elderly person, which creates an overall weakness and inability to enjoy life as much as he or she did before the injury.
Once an elderly person has suffered a broken bone, the chances of suffering another one will increase.
The Danger of Hip Fractures
When an elderly person falls, hip fractures are a significant possibility. The CDC says 300,000 older Americans annually need hospitalization for a hip fracture, and 95% of hip fractures occur because of falls.
When attempting to heal from a hip fracture, the victim must remain immobile for quite a while. This can lead to a number of complications, according to the Mayo Clinic, including:
● Clots in the lungs and pneumonia
● Blood clots in the legs
● Bedsores
● Increased body weakness
When some of these problems occur after a hip fracture, they can lead to a fatality. Those who survive this type of injury and heal still may never regain the same mobility level before the accident. Some people who suffer a hip fracture lose their ability to live independently, requiring a higher level of care from the nursing home.
Negligence from the Nursing Home
To have success in your personal injury claim after your loved one suffered a broken bone at the nursing home, you need to show that the nursing home administration or staff behaved negligently.
This does not mean the staff intentionally caused your loved one to fall and suffer a broken bone, although it can. More often, it means that you and your attorney need to show that the nursing home personnel could have taken a different set of actions that would have kept your loved one safe from the injury.
For a free legal consultation with a Bone Fractures and Breaks Lawyer serving Austin, call (800) 842-6336
Let Us Protect Your Right to Receive a Fair Settlement
Witnessing neglect at a nursing home is a frustrating situation. Elderly residents need protection and help to live their best lives at the facility. When vulnerable people like this are subject to mistreatment and neglect, it creates a sickening feeling.
By bringing a personal injury claim against the nursing home after your loved one suffered a fall that led to broken bones and other injuries, you can hold the facility and its employees responsible for their actions. Hopefully, this will prevent others from having to go through the same pain and suffering that your loved one had after a fall.
Contact Us as Soon as Possible
The Texas Civil Practice and Remedies Code §16.003 specifies that personal injury victims have up to two years from the time of the incident to begin the process of filing a personal injury claim. An Austin bone fractures and breaks lawyer can begin investigating after the injury so call as soon as possible.
At Pintas & Mullins Law Firm, we have seen the effects of broken bones for nursing home residents far too often. These injuries can lead to significant pain and weakness, which can reduce the quality of life for your loved one going forward. Contact us at (800) 842-6336 today for a free case review. We can begin working on your behalf as soon as you hire us.
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