There are a number of different reasons that a nursing home resident may not always be able to move freely. Some conditions require elderly residents to be immobile for a period of time, other residents may have lost their mobility over time. No matter the reason for needing assistance with mobility, it is important that nursing home staff move residents in an appropriate manner to avoid injury.
Common Reasons Residents Are Dropped
Injuries sustained during a nursing home drop might be the result of nursing home staff negligence. While abuse can certainly be a factor in an employee pushing or shoving a resident, drops usually occur in other circumstances. These include:
- Not using proper judgment when moving a patient from one location to the other, like misjudging the end of a surface onto which a patient is being placed;
- Not following proper protocol in moving a patient, such as attempting to move a patient alone instead of waiting for assistance;
- Unavailability of proper equipment that might be needed in order to move a patient safely and effectively to avoid injury; and
- Lack of maintenance or replacement for mobility-assisting equipment used in transferring patients or moving them from one location to another.
- Failure to follow a resident individualize care plan
Often, as with many injuries to elderly nursing home patients, injuries can result from a combination of these circumstances and other acts of neglect or abuse. Additionally, a nursing home should have protocols in place to ensure that patients can be transferred in a variety of circumstances safely and effectively without injury.
Injuries Linked to Nursing Home Drops
No matter the reason for a nursing home drop, resulting injuries can be severe. Both physical and mental results can occur in patients that have been dropped, and prompt assessment of any injuries as well as follow-up care must be provided after a drop.
The following injuries frequently result from dropping a nursing home patient:
- Bone fractures throughout the body, including hip fractures, pelvis fractures;
- Internal organ damage;
- Traumatic brain injury including subdural hematoma; and
- Sometimes death.
Drops often cause injuries similar to that of a fall. Since falls are a leading cause of death for elderly people, a nursing home drop should be taken very serious. In fact, these types of accidents account for most of the fractures seen in elderly patients and the number of deaths per year resulting from these types of injuries has risen each year over the last decade according to the United States Centers for Disease Control.
Liability for Nursing Home Drops
While a nursing home drop does not automatically mean a nursing home has been negligent and is therefore liable for damages resulting from the drop, there is a chance that such liability exists depending on the circumstances of the case.
Contact our legal team today to schedule your free consultation. We will discuss the circumstances surrounding the nursing home drop in question and begin to determine whether or not you and/or the victim are entitled to compensation.
