Common Nursing Home Injuries

When an individual goes to live in a nursing home or assisted living facility, it is because he or she can no longer safely live alone. In most cases, the decision for an individual to move into this type of facility is made by that individual’s own child, family member, or another party who is given power of attorney for health care issues. Although nursing homes are meant to provide a safe, healthy environment for their residents, they are not free of hazards. When a resident suffers an injury because of an unsafe nursing home or due to abuse or neglect from the nursing home’s staff, they may be entitled to compensation through a nursing home injury claim.

There are many ways an individual can be injured in a nursing home setting. Some of these injuries are more common than others. Below are a few of the most common injury scenarios faced by nursing home residents.

Falls

Falls are fairly common among nursing home residents. They are also a serious issue – according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, over one-quarter of older people fall every year, and over 800,000 patients a year are hospitalized because of a fall injury.

Falls can occur because of an individual’s weakened muscles or decreased sense of balance. They can also occur as a result of the following:

• Wet floors;
• Unsecured carpets;
• Unsteady or unsecured furniture in a nursing home;
• Beds or chairs that are too high for the resident;
• Improperly fitted wheelchairs; and
• Poorly-lit rooms and hallways within a nursing home.

A fall can cause an individual to suffer many different types of injury, such as a broken bone, a sprain or strain, or head trauma.

Medication Errors

In a nursing home, nurses have to attend to the daily medication needs of many residents. When a resident goes without his or her medication or receives the incorrect type or dosage of medication, he or she can suffer a worsened condition or other complications, including death. Medication errors due to caregiver negligence is a form of medical malpractice, and it can lead to significant complications for the victim.

Bedsores

Bedsores are an injury commonly associated with nursing homes and hospitals. Also known as pressure sores, they are the result of the constant pressure on the skin an individual who is kept in one position for a prolonged period of time suffers.

Bedsores can be very painful for the victim. They can also have severe complications, such as the following:

• Sepsis;
• Cellulitis;
• Squamous cell carcinoma; and
• Infections in the joints and bones.

Work with a Chicago Nursing Home Abuse Attorney

If you have an elderly parent or other loved one who currently resides in a nursing home, you need to be his or her advocate. This means that if you suspect your loved one is suffering from abuse at the hands of his or her caregivers or has suffered an injury because of unhealthy or unsafe conditions at his or her nursing facility, it is up to you to ensure that the incident is investigated and your loved one’s rights and interests are protected. Work with experienced Chicago nursing home abuse lawyer Thomas A Morrissey to pursue your nursing home abuse claim. To get started with our firm, schedule your initial legal consultation with The Law Offices of Thomas A. Morrissey today.