$125,000 Nursing Home Neglect Settlement
Resident Fell and Broke His Hip in a Nursing Home
While living in a nursing home, a man fell and suffered a broken hip. The case alleged that the fall and injury occurred because of negligence and neglect by the nursing home staff. The man later died as a result of various conditions.
His family contacted Sexner Injury Lawyers LLC to investigate the circumstances of the fall, the hip injury, and the care provided by the nursing home. A lawsuit was filed, and the case was set for trial. Sexner Injury Lawyers LLC secured a $125,000 settlement for the man’s widow in keeping with her request.
Nursing Home Falls and Hip Fractures
Many nursing home residents need help standing, walking, transferring from a bed to a chair, using the restroom, bathing, or moving safely through the facility. When a resident has weakness, confusion, balance problems, medication side effects, osteoporosis, or a history of falls, the facility should evaluate the risk and provide appropriate supervision and assistance.
A preventable fall may occur when staff members fail to follow a care plan, leave a high-risk resident unattended, ignore call lights, fail to use proper assistive devices, fail to respond to medication-related dizziness, or allow unsafe walking conditions to remain in the facility.
The CDC explains that broken hips are among the most serious fall injuries and that many people are unable to live independently after a hip fracture. The CDC also reports that each year there are about 300,000 hip-fracture-related hospitalizations due to older adult falls.
Risk Factors for Hip Fractures
Hip fractures often involve a combination of fall risk and bone fragility. In a nursing home setting, staff members should pay attention to factors that may increase a resident’s danger of falling or suffering a serious injury if a fall occurs.
- Age and frailty: Older residents may have reduced strength, balance, reflexes, and mobility.
- Osteoporosis: Weakened bones may fracture more easily, even from a fall that appears relatively minor.
- Medication effects: Some medications can cause dizziness, sleepiness, confusion, weakness, or balance problems.
- Nutrition and bone health: Poor nutrition, vitamin deficiencies, and low bone density can increase fracture risk.
- Cognitive impairment: Dementia, confusion, or impaired judgment may increase fall risk if the resident is not supervised appropriately.
- Unsafe facility conditions: Wet floors, poor lighting, clutter, missing handrails, improper footwear, and unanswered call lights can contribute to falls.
Signs and Symptoms of a Possible Hip Fracture
A hip fracture may not always be obvious immediately after a fall, especially if the resident has communication problems, dementia, or other medical conditions. Staff members should take complaints of pain, visible changes, or reduced mobility seriously.
- Inability to put weight on the leg on the same side as the fall
- Inability to stand, walk, or move normally after the fall
- Severe groin, hip, thigh, or pelvic pain
- A leg that appears turned outward
- A leg that appears shorter than the other
- Bruising, stiffness, swelling, or tenderness around the hip
- New confusion, weakness, fear of walking, or refusal to move after a fall
Treatment for a broken hip may involve surgery, hospitalization, medication, rehabilitation, physical therapy, and long-term care. For nursing home residents, recovery can be difficult. If the injury is not recognized and treated promptly, the resident may face additional medical complications.
Legal Responsibility After a Nursing Home Hip Injury
A nursing home is not automatically responsible every time a resident falls. But the facility may be responsible when the evidence shows that the fall resulted from unsafe care, poor supervision, inadequate staffing, failure to follow a fall-prevention plan, improper transfers, ignored warning signs, or unsafe conditions inside the facility.
Cases involving falls, fractures, and serious neglect may support a nursing home abuse or neglect claim. If the resident later dies, the family may also need to evaluate whether the evidence supports a wrongful death claim.
If your loved one suffered a hip fracture, fall injury, or fatal injury in a nursing home, call Sexner Injury Lawyers LLC at 312-243-9922 or contact us online for a free consultation.
