Broken bones in nursing homes

As people get older, their bones naturally become more brittle, especially in those who suffer from osteoporosis. Additionally, older people gradually lose muscle mass, which negatively affects their balance and mobility. These two factors make the elderly more susceptible to falls and more at risk of breaking bones.

Broken bones can usually be avoided in nursing homes if the caretakers are properly trained and acting with care. But too often, caretakers or facilities fail to adequately evaluate residents for the risk of falling when they enter the facility, or they may fail to provide the correct support or assistance the resident needs.

The most common types of broken bones in the elderly are hip, thigh, pelvis, back or vertebrae, arm, hand, ankle or leg fractures. Any one of these injuries could be debilitating or greatly affect a person’s ability to move independently. A broken hip is the most common injury after a fall, so if your loved one suffers from any other type of broken bone, you should probably dig a little deeper into the cause. It might have been a simple accident, or it might have been the result of negligence.

Negligent caretakers might make any of the following mistakes, which could result in a resident’s injury:

  • Leaving clutter and random objects on the floor of the patient’s room where they might trip or slip on them
  • Misdiagnose or ignore the warning signs of osteoporosis
  • Failing to help a resident out of their chair or bed, forcing the patient to attempt to stand on their own
  • Failing to keep the resident’s feet out of harm’s way of wheelchair wheels
  • Improperly lifting the patient into or out of the bed

If your loved one broke a bone while in a nursing home, it is important to first acquire a copy of the medical report made about the injury, then to call a personal injury attorney as soon as possible.

Contact a New York nursing home abuse lawyer

If your loved one broke a bone while in a nursing home due to abuse or neglect, the New York nursing home abuse lawyers at Hach & Rose, LLP can help.  We understand that nursing home abuse cases are extremely emotionally stressful, so we’ll handle the technicalities while your family focuses on healing. Call us at (212) 779-0057 for a no-obligation consultation today.

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