Types of Fall Injuries
Elderly fall injuries cause significant damage to frail bodies and people with preexisting conditions: about 20% of falls result in serious injury, and over 1,800 people living in nursing homes die each year from falls. Many residents fall more than once in a year, and many nursing homes don’t report falls to protect the facility’s integrity.
Fall injuries can range from broken bones to serious internal injury. If a resident has a mental condition that renders him or her unable to communicate, prone to hallucinations, or symptoms of dementia, the fall injury may go unnoticed for a significant period of time. If a nursing home is negligent in its physical checks after a resident falls, a missed injury could worsen, become infected, or even cause death. Neglecting to perform this duty is grounds for a lawsuit.
Falls not only cause physical injury; they cause fear of falling, feelings of isolation, reduced quality of life, increased loss of function, depression, and helplessness. Suffering a traumatic fall can have lasting repercussions on your loved one’s mental well-being, especially if the nursing home didn’t react to the fall properly.
Get Help With Your Nursing Home Fall Lawsuit
If your loved one sustained a fall that a nursing home didn’t properly prevent or treat, he or she may be eligible for compensation. Retribution for nursing home neglect lawsuits can encompass payments for medical costs, pain and suffering, lost quality of life, and future medical expenses relating to the fall.
