When our loved ones enter a nursing home, we expect nothing but the best care from medical professionals and staff. Unfortunately, while many nursing homes provide excellent care for senior citizens and the elderly, many institutions are negligent, resulting in dropped patients and falls.
When falls lead to injuries, such as bruises, broken bones, and more, you need to get an attorney involved. Find out how dropped patients and falls occur at nursing homes and see if you should file a nursing home abuse lawsuit with the experienced Atlanta nursing home abuse law firm, Pope & Howard, P.C.
Nursing home patients can be dropped during routine transfers from one area of a nursing home to the next. Many patients have limited mobility and rely on medical professionals and staff to safely transport them from one area of the nursing home to another. For example, a patient could be transported from the bed to wheelchair, to use the toilet, or from one chair to another.
To prevent dropped patients, many nursing homes have rules and regulations in place. There may need to be two or more staff members present for the transfer, or certain equipment may need to be used, like a mechanical lift, to ensure the patient’s safety.
When a patient is dropped during a transfer, serious injuries may occur, such as fractured bones in the hips, legs, and arms, a traumatic brain injury, internal organ damage or even death.
These falls can be due to a number of reasons, such as staff members not following protocol, inefficient training or the lack of proper equipment in the facility.
Nursing home falls are also common; in fact, 1,800 people die each year in nursing home falls. Nursing homes need fall prevention programs in place to minimize the risk of falls and to keep patients safe.
There are many reasons a patient may fall. One of the most common reasons is hazards in the nursing home, like poor lighting, improper bed heights, and wet floors. Other causes can include medications that affect the central nervous system, improperly fitting shoes or staff members failing to do their jobs.
If your loved one has sustained injuries from being dropped during a transfer or a fall at a nursing home, contact the experienced nursing home abuse attorneys at Pope & Howard. Our lawyers have a great deal of experience helping those who have been injured or treated wrongly due to the negligence of others. Nursing home staff members should be held accountable; contact Pope & Howard for a consultation today!