Types of Nursing Home Injuries

Information from Our Dedicated New York Elder Abuse Attorneys

Nursing home residents are often the victims of negligence that leads to injuries and other health concerns. When this occurs, families of the resident often have a viable claim against the parties responsible. Assisted living facilities are expensive and families place an enormous amount of trust in them to care for the loved ones they can no longer accommodate.

If your loved one has been harmed or has fallen ill while in the care of an assisted living facility, then the time to explore your legal options is now. Call the New York elder abuse lawyers of Rheingold Giuffra Ruffo Plotkin & Hellman LLP to speak with our advocates and explore possible next steps towards securing the safety of your loved one and recovering the compensation you and your family deserve.

We’re ready to hear from you. Call us at (212) 684-1880 today.

Examples of Nursing Home Injuries

There are several different types of injuries that often occur in nursing homes, each of which has certain signs to watch out for. It’s important for nursing home families to know the signs of these injuries and to be vigilant for any signs of wrongdoing when they visit their loved one.

These injuries include:

Bedsores/decubitus ulcers: Some bedsores, also called decubitus ulcers, are caused by a lack of blood flow to an area of the skin from extended pressure to one area on the body. Normally, because people are moving often these sores don’t happen, but in nursing homes people are not always able to reposition themselves in order to avoid getting these types of sores. It is the responsibility of the nursing homes to reposition the residents regularly at two-hour intervals to prevent bedsores. Keeping patients clean and dry from soiled beds is critical in preventing these painful pressure sores.
Nursing home acquired illness: Nursing homes are required to be kept clean. When they are understaffed or poorly managed it is easy to see how an illness can spread amongst its residents. Shared living space must be kept sanitized to prevent life-threatening diseases from infecting your loved ones.
Environmental hazards: Sometimes there are unavoidable accidents, other times they can be prevented. Among other things, nursing homes are responsible for keeping your loved ones safe by ensuring there are no environmental hazards that could pose a risk to their health. A wet floor or a loose railing can lead to a broken hip or even death. Routine safety inspections are integral in assuring that nursing homes are kept safe for its residents.
Neglect leading to falls: Often, when an elderly person falls in a nursing home, the nurse or management company tries to shift the blame. But if the resident wasn’t being properly cared for, the situation can be the impetus for a devastating accident. Call buttons don’t work, hospitals are understaffed, and are unable to give the proper amount of attention to their patients, whatever the cause may be, when left unsupervised patients are put at greater risk for falls.

We’re Ready to Speak with You

If you believe that your loved one has sustained any of these injuries, or others, due to nursing home negligence, then the time to speak with legal counsel is now. At our firm, our legal team as recovered millions of dollars in relief for clients who have been harmed or wronged by others. We know what it takes to secure results for our clients and are ready to speak with you today.

Start with a free, no-obligation case evaluation with our team.