How to Determine if a Fracture is Due to Nursing Home Abuse
When a younger person breaks a bone, they typically make a quick recovery and do not suffer from any complications. Elderly individuals that suffer a broken bone, on the other hand, are put at great risk. The body does not heal as quickly as the body ages and it is not uncommon for an elderly individual to pass away just a year or two after a fall. Broken bones in nursing home facilities are sometimes the result of abuse and neglect. If your loved one has suffered a broken bone while in a nursing home, it is important to know how to determine if it was due to abuse.
Nursing Home Liability After a Broken Bone
Nursing homes must take all the necessary precautions to ensure residents remain safe and do not sustain a broken bone. Staff members must understand that elders are much greater risk for falling and sustaining a broken bone. They must also take the necessary steps to prevent such an accident from occurring. Those steps involve making sure elders are supervised and supported at all times.
Nursing home staff members must also ensure residents are provided with regular medical care. Reviewing medications on a regular basis can also help mitigate the risk of an elder falling and breaking a bone.
Nursing home owners also have certain responsibilities they must meet. They must ensure that they are using adequate hiring practices and that they are correctly training their staff. When nursing home owners or staff members fail to meet these responsibilities, they can be held liable for any injuries a resident sustains.
How to Determine when a Fracture is a Result of Abuse
Any time a loved one suffers a fracture in a nursing home, it is important to determine if the injury is a result of nursing home abuse as soon as possible.
Start by talking to the staff members that work the closest with your loved one. Not all injuries are a result of neglect or abuse and it is possible this is the case. Ask the staff member how your loved one sustained the injury. If they cannot provide a good explanation, you should file a report with the nursing home facility. The manager, supervisor, or owner may be able to provide you with an explanation you find reasonable.
If no one at the nursing home can provide you with a reasonable explanation for the injury, it is time to take further action. You may have to file a report with a governing agency, but first speak to a nursing home abuse lawyer. An attorney can advise on which agency to file a complaint with and help you through the legal process of obtaining the damages you deserve.
Call Our Florida Nursing Home Abuse Lawyers
If you suspect that your loved one has been the victim of abuse or neglect, call our Tampa nursing home abuse lawyers at Kohn Law today. We know how to hold nursing homes and their staff members liable, and will put our experience to work for you. Call us today at (813) 428-8504 or contact us online to schedule a free consultation.
