Bone fractures and bone breaks can have a severe negative impact on the life and mobility of a senior in the nursing home. Nursing home residents can already be frail and suffer from health conditions, and many may never recover fully from an extensive or complicated fracture. At the very least, fractures can mean a temporary loss of quality of life for the senior. At the worst, bone breaks can cause an untimely death.
Fractures and bone breaks can be the result of negligent care. If your elderly loved one has suffered from fractures in their nursing home, tell a bone fractures and breaks attorney about what happened, and they can help you decide on legal action. Call Pintas & Mullins Law Firm today to find out if you can take legal action against a nursing home and receive compensation for your loved one’s injuries.
Preventing Falls in Nursing Homes
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), falls in nursing homes are common. Research indicates that about 1,800 nursing home residents die as a result of falls each year. The CDC further states that around six percent of those who fall in the nursing home end up suffering from bone breaks and fractures.
Falls are largely preventable. A nursing home has to ensure that it minimizes risks for falls and fractures at all times. Not doing so can be nursing home neglect. Fall prevention can include:
- Training staff on how to avoid falls of elderly residents
- Having enough staff to assist residents who need help in moving around the property
- Ensuring there are no trip hazards such as cables or uneven flooring
- Cleaning up any spillages promptly
- Implementing muscle strengthening exercises for residents
- Providing patients with adequate devices to assist them such as walkers
- Reviewing the use of medicines regularly
- Identifying residents most at risk from falls and monitoring them closely
Many of these precautions can be easily implemented if a nursing home has adequate staff, as well as qualified and trained employees available to do so.
Unfortunately, nursing homes can neglect resident’s needs. If the nursing home does not have enough employees to adequately care for the residents, or to reasonably prevent accidents and falls in elders, they could be held responsible for your loved one’s injuries.
Sometimes, residents can suffer bone breaks from physical abuse in the nursing home. If you suspect your loved one’s injuries are a result of any abuse, you should notify the authorities immediately and contact a San Francisco bone fractures and breaks lawyer for help.
Consequences of Fractures and Bone Breaks in the Elderly
Unfortunately, any bone breaks and fractures in the elderly can have devastating and life-altering consequences. While a younger person can heal quickly from a bone fracture and move on with their lives, an elderly person may have to deal with any consequences of a fracture for the rest of their lives. They can end up permanently immobilized or in chronic pain.
According to the National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI), hip fractures can be common in the elderly due to the fragility of the bone. The NCBI further states that hip fractures seriously affect the physical and mental functioning of elderly patients with most of the patients never regaining pre-fracture function. The elderly can suffer from extensive post-operative pain and complications which can result in long hospital stays. Some patients develop depression due to immobility and pain.
In short, serious fractures resulting from falls or abuse in the nursing home can have a devastating impact on a senior’s life, cause expensive medical bills, and lead to prolonged pain and suffering. This is why a nursing home can be held liable if they fail to provide adequate fall and accident prevention, or fail to stop abuse.
If your loved one has suffered from preventable falls and fractures, contact a San Francisco bone fractures and breaks attorney as soon as possible to find out about your legal options. Pintas & Mullins Law Firm can advise you about your next best steps free of charge, so contact us today and speak to a member of our team.
For a free legal consultation with a Bone Fractures and Breaks Lawyer serving San Francisco, call (800) 794-0444
Pursuing Compensation for Fractures and Bone Breaks
If you are filing a personal injury or wrongful death lawsuit against a nursing home, you could receive compensation. In a personal injury lawsuit, you and your loved one could receive awards for:
- Medical treatment and future medical costs
- Hospitalizations
- Transport costs
- Assistive medical devices
- Emotional pain and anguish
- Physical pain and suffering
- Loss of enjoyment of life
Your loved one could also receive other compensation, but as this depends on the specific case and extent of their injuries, you might wish to consult with a San Francisco bone fractures and breaks lawyer to find out more.
In a wrongful death lawsuit, you could also receive compensation for funeral expenses and loss of companionship, among others. In cases where a nursing home is found to have acted particularly negligently and willfully in contributing to any injuries of a resident, they might have to pay punitive damages to plaintiffs.
San Francisco Bone Fractures and Breaks Lawyer Near Me (800) 794-0444
Get Help from a Bone Fractures and Break Attorney
If your loved one suffered from fractures and bone breaks due to nursing home negligence, you should act now. Acting in a timely manner can be essential if you want to hold a nursing home accountable. The California statute of limitations sets a time limit for personal injury and wrongful death cases, which is generally two years from the date of the injury or death.
Taking a nursing home into account can feel overwhelming and daunting. However, help is available and the sooner you act, the sooner we can begin to pursue compensation that can help your loved one and family to move on with their lives. Timely action can also ensure that evidence does not “disappear” over time, and that any witnesses still have fresh memories of your case.
If you are looking for justice and compensation for your loved one’s injuries, contact us today and let us evaluate your legal options. We can tackle tough cases and you do not need to worry about any upfront costs as we only get paid when we win your case. Call Pintas & Mullins Law Firm today for your free no-obligation consultation.
Call or text (800) 794-0444 or complete a Free Case Evaluation form
