PRACTICE AREAS

Falls, Fractures, Bruising & Unexplained Injuries

HAS YOUR LOVED ONE SUFFERED FROM FALLS, FRACTURES, BRUISING, AND UNEXPLAINED INJURIES?

While not all falls are preventable, long-term care facilities should conduct fall risk assessments routinely to identify those who are at risk. Through the use of this risk assessment appropriate interventions can be undertaken. While it is generally not appropriate to restrain a resident who is at a high risk for falls, several other interventions can be taken to prevent falls or the injuries that result from falls.

These interventions can include:

  • The use of bed alarms and chair alarms
  • Lap buddies
  • Appropriate transfer techniques
  • Specific equipment for assisted transfers
  • Floor mats at the edge of the bed
  • The use of low beds so falls from the bed are not as likely to result in a serious injury

LET US HELP YOU NAVIGATE A NURSING HOME OR ASSISTED LIVING FACILITY FALL CLAIM

Protecting your family and securing your representation should begin as soon as possible, with a skilled attorney there to guide you. Investigation of fall-related injury claims requires a thorough understanding of what the know fall risk was, what interventions were recommended, which ones were undertaken, and the details of how the fall happened. Our team of experienced Florida nursing home injury lawyers know what goes into a successful suit against a long-term care facility and how to protect our clients’ rights and interests throughout every phase of their claim.
What you may not realize is that the fall itself is only part of the nursing home or assisted living facility neglect claims. The post-fall resident assessments and timely medical attention are very important in the treatment of fall-related injuries. While a fall may not be preventable and may just be the result of just an unfortunate set of circumstances, there is no excuse for a facility’s failure to timely obtain appropriate care for the injuries sustained in a fall.

All too often, residents have broken bones or intracranial bleeding that remain unchecked. There are times when injured residents have been left untreated for hours or even days before a family member starts asking questions about why his or her loved one is not answering phone calls or cannot be reached within the facility.

Possible causes of falls, fractures, bruising, and unexplained injuries can include:

  • Improperly lifting a patient in or out of a bed or wheelchair
  • Failure to support patient while he or she is standing or moving into a wheelchair
  • Failure to place a patient’s feet securely in chair holds (off the ground and away from the wheels)
  • Ignoring a diagnosis, such as osteoporosis or an unsteady gait
  • Poorly fitted shoes or care of feet
  • Environment hazards such as equipment in hallways or stacking equipment high on shelves where it can fall
FREE INITIAL CASE EVALUATION
At Brooks, LeBoeuf, Foster & Gwartney our team of Florida nursing home injury and assisted living facility injury lawyers are here to help you. If you believe that your loved one’s fall-related injury could have been prevented or need guidance on how to better understand what happened, our experienced team of nursing home attorneys are ready to help you. With over 30 years of experience, we will be there to walk you through every step of your nursing home or assisted living facility injury claim. Contact our office now to schedule your free initial case evaluation today!