Broken Bones and Fractures May Be Caused by Nursing Home Abuse or Neglect

 Posted on May 06, 2020 in Nursing Home Abuse

If you are like most people with a loved one living in a nursing home, you think about your loved one often. You may worry about whether or not your loved one is safe and well cared for or whether he or she is comfortable living in the facility. One major concern for elderly individuals is the risk of serious injuries, including fractures and broken bones. A young, healthy person may sustain a broken bone and suffer no long-lasting negative health consequences as a result. However, because many residents’ bodies are weakened by age or illness, a broken bone can be life-altering or even life-threatening. If your loved one has suffered a broken bone while living in a nursing home, there are several things you should keep in mind.

Causes of Fractures and Broken Bones in a Nursing Home

Elderly individuals often suffer from conditions such as osteoporosis that make their bones more susceptible to breaking. This is one reason that it is so important for nursing home facilities to do everything in their power to prevent break injuries.

A fracture or broken bone could be caused by a number of unacceptable scenarios, including but not limited to:

• Lack of Supervision: Wandering and elopement is a major concern in nursing homes. Residents may wander into unsafe areas of the facility such as the kitchen area or a supply closet and sustain a broken bone such as a hip fracture. With proper supervision, injuries such as these may be prevented.
• Slip and Fall Hazards: Residents can suffer excruciating injuries from falling. Nursing home facilities should be free of hazards that present a slip and fall risk to residents. This means that spilled liquids should be promptly cleaned, boxes or other objects should not be left in hallways or resident rooms, and the facility should be well lit.
• Improperly Trained Staff: Some resident injuries are caused by staff who do not know how to do their jobs safely and efficiently. For example, a nurses aid or other worker who does not know how to safely transfer a resident in and out of bed may drop the patient and cause him or her to suffer a painful break or other serious injury.
• Physical Abuse: Tragically, some resident injuries are caused by physical abuse. A nursing home staff member may become frustrated with a resident and use physical force to get him or her to comply. Other times, resident abuse is simply the result of cruelty. Physical abuse can cause not only agonizing injuries such as fractures and broken bones but also horrendous psychological damage as well.  

Contact a Cook County Nursing Home Abuse and Neglect Lawyer

At Schwartz Injury Law, we help families hold negligent and abusive nursing home facilities responsible for the harm they have caused. Our seasoned Chicago nursing home injury attorneys have the experience and legal skills necessary to identify and prove instances of nursing home abuse and neglect. If you or a loved one has sustained a broken bone or fracture in a nursing home, call us today at 312-535-4625 for a free consultation and case evaluation.

Source:

https://www.cdc.gov/homeandrecreationalsafety/falls/index.html