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Slip and fall accidents often occur in nursing homes. For seniors, minor accidents like tripping or falling down can be very dangerous. Nursing homes should have preventative measures in place to ensure these accidents do not happen. If you or a family member has been injured in a nursing home, contact our California slip and fall attorney today for help.
Slip And Fall Accidents
As people age, they often cannot live independently and need the assistance of a skilled nursing home facility. As part of entering this facility and paying the costs of living there, residents are supposed to have access to staff and medical personnel on site 24 hours a day. The nursing home is responsible for carefully watching over their residents to avoid falls and provide them with assistance moving around.
Falls and their resulting injuries seriously threaten the health and well-being of older individuals. If a nursing home fails to take necessary precautions, have enough staff, or neglects its residents, it may be liable for any injuries sustained on its watch.
Preventable Injuries
Unfortunately, not all nursing homes do a good job of caring for their seniors. The following conditions can lead to serious injury:
- Poor lighting in common areas or individual rooms
- Slippery or wet floors
- Messy bathrooms
- Poorly maintained walkways
- Hazards that remain unaddressed such as clutter, objects that impede movement, and messes that are not cleaned up
- Ill-placed or missing hand holds and bedrails
- Beds that are difficult for a person to get in and out of
- Understaffing
- Malfunctioning intercoms or call buttons
- Lack of proper supervision
- Inattention to a person’s hydration or nutrition needs which can cause dizziness or weakness
Many of these conditions are easily avoided with simple fixes. Before placing your loved one in a nursing home, ask for a tour. Try to view all common areas and a resident room during a time of the day when your loved one may be most active. Inquire about whether the home has adequate cleaning staff and aides and their patient-to-staff ratio. Once admitted, regularly check that they have good shoes and properly fitting clothes.
A nursing home’s responsibility is to take measures to prevent accidents and maintain a safe environment for all its patients. Furthermore, neglect is never acceptable. Failure to take proper precautions by a nursing home and its staff can lead to injuries or even death.
Have Your Claim Evaluated by an Attorney
Injured residents and their families may be able to pursue a claim against a nursing home for negligence, neglect, and elder abuse. In anticipation of this, many nursing homes make it difficult to do so by putting arbitration clauses in their admissions agreements and other tactics. Although these provisions may make you feel like you have limited options, an attorney can help you evaluate your claim and your options.
If you have questions about an accident in a nursing home, you should speak with an experienced attorney as soon as possible. The time frame for bringing a personal injury claim in California is two years. You may have three years to file a claim under the Elder Abuse and Dependent Adult Civil Protection Act. Our attorneys understand the importance of promptly addressing your claim. Contact our office today for a free consultation.
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