Older adults are more prone to falls than the rest of the population. As people age, their balance and motor coordination deteriorate. Many older adults suffer weakening muscles and joint problems. Some of the medications commonly prescribed to elderly individuals can cause changes in balance or depth perception, increasing the possibility of falls.
The staff at nursing homes know the patients are at high risk of falling and should be taking steps to prevent falls. When a nursing home patient suffers a serious injury in a fall, family members should investigate whether the facility is providing proper care.
Legal action is sometimes the appropriate response to falls in a Connecticut nursing home. Contact our experienced nursing home negligence attorneys at D’Amico & Pettinicchi, LLC, when your loved one suffers significant harm in a fall at a nursing home.
Most people fall every so often, usually without significant long-term consequences. However, falls can be medical emergencies for older adults and can substantially shorten their lifespan.
Falls are the leading cause of spinal cord injuries among older adults, and a spinal cord injury can lead to many secondary health impacts that can lead to death. Bones become more brittle as people age, so they fracture more easily, and healing is slower. Older adults often suffer traumatic brain injuries when they fall. A serious fall can keep an older person off their feet for months, and the lack of activity can lead to pneumonia and other serious and potentially fatal complications.
Many older adults take blood thinners for heart problems or after hip or knee replacement surgery. Falls are especially dangerous for these patients because a fall can cause bleeding that might be difficult to control. Surgery could be necessary, which carries a significant risk of death for a medically fragile patient.
Nursing home residents usually have one or more health conditions that weaken them and can contribute to falls. However, most falls are preventable when the facility is maintained properly and the patient receives attentive care.
Some of the common causes of falls in nursing homes include:
When a fall results in a severe injury or leads to death, the patient or their family should file a with the Connecticut Department of Health’s Facility Licensing and Investigation Section. And it is critical to contact an experienced Connecticut attorney at D’Amico & Pettinicchi, LLC, immediately. They can review the situation and advise whether nursing home negligence might have been a factor in the fall.
A nursing home negligence lawsuit requires you to prove that a patient did not receive an appropriate standard of care. The patient’s medical needs determine the standard of care necessary. The more help the patient needs, the more attentive the staff must be to ensure those needs are met.
When representing a nursing home patient after a fall—or their survivors if the fall was fatal—the lawyers at D’Amico & Pettinicchi, LLC will closely review the nursing home’s records. Federal and state law requires nursing homes to generate, maintain, and regularly update records about the patient’s medical needs, and staffing levels must reflect those needs. If a Connecticut nursing home did not have sufficient staff available to prevent a patient’s fall, they may be found negligent.
Some nursing homes are accredited by The Joint Commission and must maintain appropriate standards of care to maintain accreditation. The Joint Commission recommends protocols to respond to and prevent falls. When a nursing home doesn’t have proper protocols or doesn’t follow them, the facility is negligent.
Nursing homes are places where medically fragile people have the right to expect attentive and compassionate care. Unfortunately, the owners of many nursing homes prioritize profits, leaving the residents unsafe and vulnerable to preventable events like falls.
When you or your loved one suffers a serious fall in a Connecticut nursing home, contact the lawyers at D’Amico & Pettinicchi, LLC. We will work tirelessly to hold the nursing home accountable and we have been pioneers in nursing home litigation in Connecticut for decades. Reach out today to set up a free remote or in-person consultation.
