Bed rail entrapment in nursing homes can occur when facilities do not have properly installed or fitted rails. An elderly patient’s head or neck can become trapped in gaps, leading to severe injury or death.
Reports of death and injury caused by portable bed rails most often involve entrapment, suffocation, and falls. Approximately 92 percent of fatal bed rail entrapments are caused by a resident’s head or neck becoming trapped by the portable bed rail.
While improperly installed bed rails can quickly lead to dangerous situations for aging patients, these safety features are common in nursing homes. If your loved one has suffered severe entrapment injuries or a fatal accident related to bed rails, contact the nursing home neglect attorneys at D’Amico & Pettinicchi, LLC. Our legal team has over 100 years of combined experience helping patients and their families navigate complex nursing home abuse and neglect cases, including those involving bed rail entrapment in Torrington nursing homes.
Bed rails are installed on the side of a patient’s bed as a safety precaution and to provide additional support. Nursing home residents often use bed rails to:
Bed rails offer older patients the opportunity to be more independent and prevent potentially dangerous fall situations. Nursing home residents with mild mobility issues may benefit from having properly installed bed rails. However, when installed incorrectly or when used by patients with certain medical conditions, bed rails can become hazardous.
The Code of Federal Regulations requires that facilities look for alternatives to bed rails and that if a bed rail is used, the following procedures are followed:
Additionally, nursing home facilities must regularly inspect bed frames, mattresses, and bed rails for potential entrapment dangers.
Patients who struggle with disorientation, mobility, and strength, which are common concerns among the aging population in nursing homes, may become lodged between the bed rail and the mattress. When a resident begins to fall or slide between the rail and the bed, they may not be strong or coordinated enough to prevent their body from sliding further into the gap. Another common cause of injury occurs when residents get their heads stuck between the rungs of the rail.
When Torrington nursing home caregivers fail to properly install or maintain bed rails or when they neglect to assess whether a bed rail is appropriate for a specific patient, severe or fatal injuries can occur.
If you believe your loved one’s injuries were caused by their nursing home’s negligence, there may be options for pursuing compensation for the harm they’ve endured. The nursing home negligence lawyers at D’Amico & Pettinicchi, LLC, have built a reputation for compassionate advocacy and dedicated representation in cases involving bed rail entrapment in Torrington nursing homes.
Contact us to schedule a free consultation.
