You rely on the staff and administration at a nursing home to properly care for your loved one. Usually, they do. At other times, however, the nursing home staff may behave in a negligent manner, resulting in an injury to your loved one in what the staff is calling an accident.
With a Cicero nursing home accident lawyer protecting the rights of your loved one, you may have the ability to receive awards for any injuries, pain and suffering. At Pintas & Mullins Law Firm, we are ready to handle the toughest cases, defending the rights of residents of nursing homes. Call us as soon as possible. We are ready to begin working on your behalf immediately.
Common Nursing Home Accidents
For those living in a nursing home, an accident could occur at any time. For this reason, nursing homes must employ trustworthy staff members who undergo extensive training, though not all nursing homes adhere to these strict hiring and training guidelines.
A few different types of accidents are especially common in nursing homes.
Slip and Fall
Some slip and falls result in significant injuries, requiring a visit to a hospital. Falls are the biggest reason for a fatal injury from an accident for an elderly person, according to the National Council on Aging. Some of the ways that nursing home staff can work to prevent falls in the elderly include:
- Watching for signs of fainting: where staff must be able to recognize when a resident could be subject to a sudden drop in blood pressure, leading to a fainting spell.
- Understanding risks: where staff needs to be able to recognize which residents are too weak or have insufficient balance to walk or stand on their own without having a significant chance of falling.
- Inspecting footwear: where staff should inspect the shoes or socks a resident is wearing, ensuring that the footwear is appropriate to reduce the risk of a slip or trip.
- Knowing medication side effects: where staff should understand which medications could result in a greater chance of a loss of balance or a fainting spell and monitor those residents closely for a fall risk.
If you believe that negligence on the part of the nursing home staff increased the fall risk for your loved one, resulting in an accident, consider hiring Pintas & Mullins Law Firm. As Cicero nursing home accident lawyers, we are ready to stand by your side throughout the case. Call us today.
For a free legal consultation with a Nursing Home Accidents Lawyer serving Cicero, call (800) 794-0444
Incorrect Medication
Should staff at the nursing home give your loved one the incorrect dosage of medication or the wrong medication, it could lead to weakness or illness that results in an accident and a need for immediate hospitalization.
Some victims may suffer a fall after receiving the wrong medication. Others may not realize what they are doing, potentially harming themselves after a bad reaction to a medication.
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Misdiagnosis of Illnesses
If the nursing home staff does not properly diagnose an illness or infection for the victim, it could lead to an unexpected weakness that leads to an accident.
Should a staff member suspect an illness, he or she needs to notify a doctor immediately, so the elderly resident can receive the proper medical care.
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Mealtime Accidents
Accidents at mealtime happen far too often in nursing homes, increasing the potential for a significant injury. Some accidents that could happen while eating include:
- Choking: where some elderly residents have dysphagia (difficulty swallowing or chewing food), which means they need additional supervision while eating.
- Hot food: where food served at too high of a temperature may lead to sores and burns inside the mouth or burns on the skin.
- Unsanitary conditions: where the staff does not clean the serving utensils or plates properly, leading to an illness; or the kitchen staff does not cook or serve the food at a safe temperature.
- Allergies: where staff does not pay attention to food allergies for certain residents, allowing them to eat the wrong food, leading to a potential allergic reaction.
- Spills: where a resident does not have the strength or stability to hold food or drinks properly, or where staff trips while serving food, leading to a spill and a potential burn accident.
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Abuse from Nursing Home Staff
If the residents receive physical or emotional abuse from staff members, it could lead to an accident. The abuse could result in a broken bone or a torn ligament, leading to a fall accident.
The nursing home has a responsibility to hire staff who will treat the residents with respect and care. However, if the administration does not properly inspect the work history and qualifications of a staff member, the nursing home might hire someone who has a history of abuse of residents, or who is unqualified to care for senior residents residing in nursing homes.
Other staff members have a duty to report suspicion of abuse that co-workers may be committing too. If any of these things occurred, the nursing home may be liable for injuries in an accident.
Contact a Cicero Nursing Home Accident Lawyer Today
The first concern after an accident involving a nursing home resident is the safety of the victim. He or she should receive medical care for mental and physical trauma. The victim was not doing anything wrong, yet he or she suffered an unnecessary injury after this type of accident.
A Cicero nursing home accident attorney can help you protect your loved one’s health and rights. We know how the law works in cases like this, and we know how to interpret reports in an accident to determine who was at fault.
Call Pintas & Mullins Law Firm today for a free consultation. We work on a contingency fee basis. You will not be charged unless and until we win your case. We will fight for your loved one’s rights during negotiations with the insurance company and in court if necessary.
Call or text (800) 794-0444 or complete a Free Case Evaluation form
