Top Five Nursing Home Slip-and-Fall Injuries

Generally, falls send people to nursing homes and keep them there longer than expected. Falls are one of the leading causes of nursing home admissions. Furthermore, almost two-thirds of nursing home residents fall at these facilities. A prior fall magnifies the physical and emotional injuries in a subsequent fall. As a result, many of these individuals cannot live independently ever again.

The nursing home’s owner is usually financially responsible for damages in these cases. A Sugar Land slip and fall lawyer can obtain compensation for economic losses, such as medical bills, and noneconomic losses, such as pain and suffering, if the owner had a duty of care and the owner knew about, or should have known about, the injury-causing hazard. Most nursing home owners have a duty of reasonable care, which is one of the highest legal responsibilities. Furthermore, evidence of knowledge could be direct or circumstantial.

Head Injuries

Many people believe the brain fits snugly inside the skull, like a hand in a glove. That’s not true. The skull is essentially a water tank that suspends the brain, which is about the size of two clenched fists, in cerebrospinal fluid.

When people fall, their brains slam against the insides of their skulls. We feel that effect at a very low level when we pace. The brain gently bounces against the skull, stimulating the thought process. Imagine what a fall does to the brain, since the force is so much more extreme.

These injuries are hard to diagnose, mostly because these victims usually tell their doctors they “feel fine.” Head injury victims might feel fine for a few minutes, since adrenaline masks their pain. After the adrenaline wears off, they quickly realize the full extent of their injuries.

Broken Pelvis

The pelvic bone protects some of the body’s most vital, and most vulnerable, organs. If this bone chips even slightly, the bone fragments cut into these organs, causing massive internal bleeding.

This bleeding is hard to detect. Emergency responders are so concerned with external trauma injuries that they often overlook internal injuries. This bleeding is also hard to stop, mostly because doctors have a hard time finding the source of the problem.

Because of these issues, a broken pelvis is one of the only broken bone injuries that, in many cases, is life threatening.

Broken Arms

These injuries normally aren’t life threatening, unless infection sets in. However, they are usually permanent.

The extreme force of a fall, which was mentioned above, usually shatters bones. As a result, many victims never recover full functionality, especially in elbows, shoulders, and other joints.

Making matters worse, many older adults have arthritis and other pre-existing conditions that increase the risk and/or severity of a broken bone. A Missouri City personal injury lawyer can usually obtain maximum compensation in these cases. Victims cannot change the fact that they have physical vulnerabilities.

Nerve Injuries

Fall victims often break their arms because, when people fall, they usually extend their arms to brace themselves.

This reaction also causes nerve injuries. The force of a fall snaps the nerves in the brachial plexus bundle under the arms. This injury normally causes permanent facial paralysis.

Emotional Injuries

As mentioned, most elderly fall victims cannot live independently again, and not just because of permanent physical injuries. Emotionally, many of these victims are so scared of falling again that they’re afraid to leave their homes. Sometimes, they’re even afraid to leave their beds or armchairs. In other words, a serious fall usually turns older adults into prisoners in their own houses.

 Rely on a Tough-Minded Harris County Attorney

Injury victims are entitled to significant compensation. For a free consultation with an experienced personal injury attorney in Missouri City, contact the Henrietta Ezeoke Law Firm. We do not charge upfront legal fees in these matters.