Falls can cause physical injuries, emotional scars, and exorbitant medical expenses. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the country spends more than $34 billion per year on medical costs due to senior citizens’ falls. While falls can happen due to inattention, ill-fitting shoes, or frailty, a victim could have legal recourse if someone else’s negligence caused their fall and injuries.
If your loved one suffered significant injuries and medical expenses in a fall, a Punta Gorda elderly slip and fall lawyer can help you find out whether you could hold a negligent party responsible. The Law Offices of Anidjar & Levine offer you a free, no-obligation consultation to assess your case and determine whether you have legal recourse. Call us today at 1-800-747-3733.
Injuries from Elderly Falls
Younger adults are generally more agile and may only suffer minor injuries in a fall, such as a sprained ankle or bruising. For the elderly population, however, falls can have tragic consequences. A senior may suffer from significant, life-altering, and even life-threatening injuries in a serious fall. Injuries in falls can include:
- Wrist and arm fractures
- Broken ankles
- Pelvic fractures
- Concussions and other head injuries
- Back injuries
- Bruising
A major injury from a fall, such as a pelvic fracture, can be fatal for a senior. According to a study published in Surgery, elderly patients with pelvic fractures are more likely to require prolonged hospital stays and may die despite aggressive resuscitation efforts.
While the physical injuries from a fall can be debilitating and deadly for the elderly, we should not underestimate a serious fall’s psychological consequences. Once a senior experienced a bad fall with significant injuries, they may adjust their lifestyle accordingly. The older adult may become fearful of leaving their house or partaking in social activities. Suffering from serious injuries and becoming immobile from a bad fall can also induce anxiety and depression.
In short, suffering from a fall can reduce seniors’ life quality in many ways and might shorten their life expectancy considerably.
Falls in Nursing Homes
Nursing home residents are particularly prone to suffering from falls since they are typically frail or have underlying medical conditions that could limit their mobility. In some cases, residents may be taking medication that could cause them to feel dizzy or unsteady on their feet.
Figures from the CDC show that around 1,800 nursing home residents die of injuries due to falls annually. While some falls are perhaps inevitable, nursing home employees must minimize fall hazards on their property. This includes removing dangerous conditions that could lead to falls and making sure staff adequately supervises and assists residents most at risk of falling.
If you have reason to believe that your loved one suffered a fall due to another’s negligence, you should contact the Law Offices of Anidjar & Levine today for help at 1-800-747-3733.
Falls Can Be a Sign of Nursing Home Abuse or Neglect
In some cases, falls are the result of nursing home abuse and neglect. Staff rough-handling or shoving a resident, for example, can cause them to lose their balance and fall. General neglect in nursing homes can also cause falls. When a nursing home does not have a fall prevention policy, the management could be negligent.
Typically, staff should evaluate residents for fall risks regularly. Those prone to falls will need additional assistance with their daily needs, including moving around the facility. Failure to identify residents at high fall risk, or failure to assist residents, could amount to negligence.
In some instances, falls could happen due to lack of maintenance. These types of accidents typically fall under premises liability law. If a nursing home failed to adequately maintain all areas, keeping them free from hazardous conditions, they could be liable for a plaintiff’s damages. Hazardous conditions can include:
- Cluttered walking spaces
- Fraying carpeting
- Broken floorboards
- Inadequate lighting
- Missing handrails
You Could Hold the Nursing Home Responsible
If your loved one suffered a fall in their nursing home, you could have legal recourse if:
- The nursing home hired staff negligently
- The fall happened due to any dangerous conditions on the property
- The nursing home was inadequately staffed
- Staff or others physically abused a resident
The nursing home could also be negligent and responsible for your loved one’s injuries in other ways.
If you or your family member suffered the devastating consequences of an avoidable fall, you could potentially hold a responsible party to account and recover compensation. A Punta Gorda elderly slip and fall lawyer can be by your side and help you recover compensation.
We Are Here to Help
Slip and fall claims can arise in a variety of different circumstances and on public and private property. If someone else’s negligent actions caused a senior’s fall, they should pay for the damages.
If your loved one slipped and fell in a restaurant, shop, parking garage, apartment complex, or at their nursing home, they could have legal recourse.
Property owners are responsible for keeping their premises free from hazardous conditions. Not doing so could be negligence. Assisted living facilities and nursing homes must always ensure that residents do not encounter any hazardous conditions at the property. However, nursing homes and long-term care facilities have additional responsibilities, such as minimizing fall risks for those in their care.
Your Punta Gorda elderly slip and fall lawyer can help you prove a slip and fall claim. An attorney can build your case, prove negligence, and hold the responsible party to account. In a slip and fall lawsuit, you could recover damages like:
- Medical costs
- Rehabilitative therapies
- Medical devices
- Pain and suffering
Your loved one deserves justice for their unnecessary suffering, and we can fight for adequate compensation. Contact the Law Offices of Anidjar & Levine today for a free case review at 1-800-747-3733.
We Can Help.
