It is estimated that 60% of the 1.7 million nursing home residents throughout the United States fall at least once each year. For people 85 years and older, 20% of fall–related deaths occur in nursing homes. Many falls elderly nursing home residents experience are preventable. If your loved one has suffered injury from falling in an Arizona nursing home, contact our experienced Arizona Nursing Home Abuse attorney, James Morgan, today.
Elderly Arizona nursing home patients are commonly at risk of falls because of impaired cognitive abilities involving vision and hearing, as well as frailty and an increasing loss of balance. Preventable falls and fall-related injuries among nursing home residents have been attributed to insufficient care plans, lack of proper supervision, an unsafe environment and the use of psychotropic and psychoactive medications.
While many falls may be benign, with no serious injury, those that result in bone fractures can turn into life-threatening events. Common areas where fractures from falls can occur include pelvis fractures, ankle and leg fractures, wrist and forearm fractures and fractures in the feet. Any fracture that can immobilize an elderly nursing home resident, such as a hip fracture, can cause the patient’s over-all health to quickly deteriorate.
If someone you love has been injured or died as a result of a fall in a nursing home or long-care facility, there may be grounds for a personal injury lawsuit. An Arizona nursing home abuse lawyer will assess the circumstances surrounding the fall and determine if the fall was unavoidable, if it was an isolated incident, or if the nursing home failed to comply with state and government-mandated guidelines for care. If the nursing home holds a history of substandard care, you could have a significant claim against the facility.
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