Falls & Injuries in Nursing Homes
Falls in Nursing Homes
Families complete thorough research and take great care when considering finding the right nursing home to care for an elderly family member who is unable to take care of themselves any longer. According to the CDC, about 3 million older adults (ages 65 or older) are treated in the ER for fall injuries. Additionally, the death rate from falls have increased by 30%, and if this rate continues to grow, there will be 7 deaths caused by falls every hour.
Unfortunatly, nursing home falls are one of the most common injuries that elderly patients face. Typically, nursing home falls are caused by nursing home facility negligence such as poor lighting and wet floors. Other hazards can include poorly fit and maintained wheelchairs and beds that are set too high. Additionally, medications, especially anti-anxiety drugs and sedatives, tend to increase the risk of falls and fall-related injuries. In the event of a nursing home fall caused by nursing home facility negligence, the patient can suffer from serious injuries that are otherwise avoidable if the proper care methods were put into place.
Common Injuries Caused by Nursing Home Falls
- Hip Fractures: A hip fracture is a break in the upper portion of the femur or thighbone. This type of injury is one of the most common injuries caused by a nursing home fall. Almost all hip fractures need surgery and physical therapy.
- Broken Bones: these bones can include wrist, arm, ankle, and hip fractures.
- Head Injuries: With nursing home injury falls, many elderly patients tend to hit their head and this tends to cause concussions.
- TBI (Traumatic Brain Injury): In some nursing home falls cases, elderly patients can sustain a severe head injury called a traumatic brain injury. With TBI, it affects how the elderly patient’s brain functions. TBI is very serious and if not treated properly, can lead to death.
Burch, Porter & Johnson Can Help!
Burch, Porter & Johnson is your nursing home falls attorney in the Mid South area, including Memphis, and has a team of expert nursing home negligence attorneys ready to help you resolve your case. We are compassionate, yet aggressive attorneys committed to holding nursing home institutions accountable and winning a fair outcome. We serve the Mid South areas of Memphis, western Tennessee, eastern Arkansas, northern Mississippi.
If you fear that your loved one has experienced a nursing home fall due to nursing home negligence, contact us today for a free consultation.