Plant City Falls/Broken Bones Attorney
Falls can be devastating regardless of age, and fall-related injuries can result in debilitating fractures. Yet for older adults, falls and broken bones can lead to life-altering and sometimes fatal injuries. If you have an elderly loved one at a nursing home or assisted-living facility who suffered a fracture or broken bone in a fall, you should seek advice from a Plant City falls and broken bones attorney as soon as possible.
Getting the Facts About Elderly Falls in Plant City
When older adults fall, whether at a nursing home or while living at home with a caregiver, the consequences are often overwhelming. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) provides the following facts and figures about falls among the elderly:
- About 20 percent of falls among seniors result in a broken bone or a head injury;
- Around 3 million older adults require treatment every year in emergency departments for fall-related injuries;
- More than 800,000 older adults are hospitalized every year due to injuries sustained in a fall;
- Approximately 300,000 older adults are hospitalized each year because of hip fractures; and
- More than 95 percent of hip fractures in older adults result from falls.
Certain conditions make an older adult more likely to fall, including difficulties with walking or balance, use of certain types of medication, vision problems, and hazards in the walking area. Nursing homes have a duty to provide proper care and supervision for residents with health issues that could result in a fall, and facilities have a duty to keep walking areas well-lit and free of hazards. Failure to do so could result in a nursing home being liable for injuries as a result of neglect.
Understanding Broken Bone Injuries from Plant City Nursing Home Falls
There are many different types of broken bone injuries, which are also known as fractures. A fracture can occur in any bone in the body, and fractures can range widely in terms of severity. The American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons (AAOS) provides information about the most common types of fractures:
- Stable fractures, or those in which “the broken ends of the bone line up and are barely out of place”;
- Open or compound fractures, in which the skin may be pierced by the broken bone;
- Transverse fractures, where the fracture has occurred in a horizontal line; Oblique fractures, in which the bone has broken in an angled pattern; and
- Comminuted fractures, in which the bone has shattered into three or more pieces.
Learn More from a Plant City Nursing Home Negligence
Falls and broken bones at nursing homes and assisted-living facilities in Florida are preventable. Yet when nursing facilities do not provide adequate care, assistance, and supervision for elderly residents, falls and broken bones can occur. For many seniors, suffering a fall can be debilitating and life-
If an elderly loved one sustained a broken hip or other broken bone injury after a fall in a nursing home, you should discuss your options with a Plant City nursing home negligence attorney. One of the advocates at our firm can speak with you today. Contact Kohn Law for more information and to get started on your case.
