Dangerous Falls in Nursing Homes

Falls in nursing homes and skilled care facilities endanger the safety of residents. People pay good money with the expectation of receiving adequate nursing care, but sometimes nursing homes make mistakes. Nursing mistakes can have massive impacts on people and their families, like creating an unsafe environment and causing someone to fall. If you or a loved one has fallen and suffered a serious injury, Reuland Law offers a free and confidential consultation to discuss how we can help hold facilities accountable for the harms they caused.

Dangrous Falls

Preventable falls impact too many nursing home residents each year.

Over 500,000 people globally die each year from a fall in a nursing home or hospital. Following basic guidelines and safety measures reduces this dangerous health risk. Adequate nursing care according to widely accepted guidelines, policies and the law can prevent falls. However, dangerous falls can occur when a nursing home and its staff fails to

Adequately screen new residents for their fall risks when they come into the facility;
Apply interventions based on the specific needs of each resident;
Educate each resident about falls prevention and what steps the nursing home is taking;
Implement therapy programs that increase mobility and safety.

Unfortunately, nursing homes and staff do not always follow through with providing adequate care to residents. Nursing fatigue, staffing problems, inadequate training, and inadequate resources can lead to dangerous shortcuts that make falls in a nursing home all but inevitable.

Dangerous Nursing Care
Falls lead to a range of injuries for people relying on nursing homes to provide good care.

Head Injuries

Head injuries are common after a fall. Trauma to the brain can cause brain bleeds, traumatic brain injuries, fractures to the bones protecting our face and brains, and disfigurement. Mild concussions can change the trajectory of someone's recovery and wellbeing in a nursing home.

Broken Bones

Falls cause fractures and broken bones. When a hip, arm, or leg breaks, these injuries impact mobility and often require painful rehabilitation or even surgery. The recovery time often requires people to decrease or eliminate activities while their bones try and heal.

Fear

Emotional trauma often accompanies a fall, particularly in older populations who know the dangers of a fall. Anxiety, depression, and post-traumatic stress disorder can cause someone to be less active or fearful of engaging in the activities they cherish. Decreased activity due to fear frequently causes declines in our mental and physical health.

Hold Negligent Nursing Homes Accountable

Insurance companies for nursing homes do not like having to pay large verdicts or settlements. Hiring an attorney who can hold nursing homes accountable can lead to change.

Tom Reuland has helped recover millions for families and people injured or killed by nursing home abuse and neglect. The law office of Tom Reuland offers a free and confidential consultation to discuss whether a fall in a skilled nursing facility was caused by negligent or abuse. We obtain and review records and charts, access nursing facility data, and know where to look for information that nursing homes try to keep private regarding injuries.

Tom Reuland has years of experience and a track record of success investigating cases, litigating cases, and even teaching others how to litigate nursing home abuse and neglect cases. For example, Tom Reuland is a frequent speaker and moderator for the Illinois State Bar Association's continuing legal education classes regarding nursing home abuse and neglect matters. Reuland Law can be the advocate and support that people need after a dangerous fall. Moreover, we are a firm that holds nursing homes accountable for negligent care that harms people, causing dramatic declines and even leads to death.

If you or a loved one has experienced a fall at a nursing home, it is important to seek medical attention as soon as possible. It is also important to contact an aggressive advocate who can gather the evidence you need to make a full recovery. When nursing homes have to pay for the damages they cause, the injured party can be made whole. The nursing home will be motivated to protect others in the future and provide safe care that prevents other residents from falling as well. Nursing home abuse and neglect attorney Tom Reuland knows what standards nursing homes must live up to and knows how to hold them accountable when they let Illinois residents down.