Chicago, IL Nursing Home Fall Attorneys
More than 1,800 elderly people die yearly from falls in nursing homes. Knowing the inherent risk that falls pose to elderly residents, nursing facilities must create and implement a fall prevention program for every patient.
The personal injury attorneys at Rosenfeld Injury Lawyers, LLC know that when residents fall in a nursing home, serious injuries can result from broken bones, hip fractures, brain bleeds, and even death.
Each Chicago nursing home fall attorney in our law firm has experience evaluating each Illinois nursing home fall case where precautions should have been implemented before the incident occurred.
Get Help from a Nursing Home Abuse Lawyer to Hold the Facility Accountable for Your Loved One's Injuries
When a facility's negligent acts or failure to provide adequate fall precautions result in a patient injury, our nursing home abuse lawyers always hold the facility accountable. We know that not every nursing home fall could or should have been prevented.
Contact our experienced Chicago nursing home abuse lawyers at (888) 424-5757 for a free consultation if your loved one has suffered injuries in a fall.
Fall Prevention for Older Adults in Nursing Homes
Effective fall nursing home fall prevention programs should identify the characteristics that put the patient at risk of falling and create a care plan to safely live in the facility. The patient's doctor and nursing home staff are to create a fall prevention program with necessary safeguards to prevent falls.
The Illinois Nursing Home Care Act requires every facility to conduct fall risk assessments for each patient upon admission to the nursing home and update them regularly. The care plans must balance each patient's legal right to be free with their own safety
Post-Fall Assessments to be Completed by Nursing Homes & Assisted Living Facilities
After a nursing home resident falls at a long-term care facility in Chicago, IL, state law requires that staff meet and reassess the patient's care plan, as required by the nursing home care act.
State law and federal regulations also require nursing home staff members to monitor nursing home residents who may require additional fall-related prevention.
When the fall results in death, the family member can file a wrongful death claim against the facility, this is based on the Illinois Wrongful Death Act.
Frequent Causes of Chicago Nursing Home Falls
Some of the common causes of fall injury and wrongful death claims involving nursing home residents include:
- Hazards – Wet floors, poor lighting, improper bed heights, improperly maintained wheelchairs or equipment left out of place
- Drugs – Certain medications that affect the central nervous system, such as sedatives and anti-anxiety (or psychoactive) drugs can cause falls as can medication errors (nursing home neglect)
- Improperly fitting shoes or incorrect walking aids
- Frequent use of restraints
- Failure to provide assistance or specialized bathing equipment, including chairs, stands, and grips
- Transfer into and out of bed due to negligent staff members or the use of bed rails
- Failing to engage locks on wheelchairs
- Failure to maintain stairways and walkways which can lead to a dangerous situation
- Physical abuse by nursing home employees, staff members, visitors, or other residents

Unfortunately, in addition to the above, many nursing facilities are grossly understaffed and do not have sufficient staffing levels to care for patients and help them safely navigate their environments.
In these circumstances involving poor staffing levels, nursing homes may be held accountable when a patient is injured in a fall.
Injuries Related to Fall Accidents in Chicago Nursing Homes
Every fall poses a significant risk to fragile nursing home patients. Like other personal injury cases, nursing homes take their patients as they find them (the eggshell skull rule) and may be responsible for the consequences of a fall even when the incident itself seems drastic.
Elderly nursing home patients involved in fall accidents frequently receive serious injuries such as fractured bones (hips, femur, arms, and discs in the back), traumatic brain injuries or bleeds in the brain known as subdural hematoma, lacerations, and even death.

Damages Available in Illinois Nursing Home Fall Lawsuits
Patients who suffer injuries in a Chicago nursing home fall accident are entitled to recover economic and non-economic damages.
Economic damages refer to fixed expenses the individual sustains due to serious injury. In fall cases, it primarily consists of medical bills for past and future care. This can entail hospitalization, surgical fees, physical therapy, and even in-patient rehabilitation.
Special Considerations in Assisted Living Fall Cases
Assisted living facilities (ALF) and nursing homes continue to emerge as supportive living arrangements for elderly people who require assistance with their daily living needs. While assisted living may be a viable alternative for some elderly people, these facilities are not medical facilities like nursing homes.
Regarding care levels, assistive living options do not have the same level of supervision that skilled nursing facilities offer. When it comes to caring for a patient who is susceptible to falls, an ALF may not be a viable option.
However, when an assisted living facility accepts a patient, they are responsible for ensuring their safety. Consequently, when a patient falls at an ALF, liability may ensue.

Medical Facility Liability for Patients Injured or Killed in Fall Accidents
When evaluating nursing home fall cases, the nursing home abuse and neglect lawyers at Rosenfeld Injury Lawyers, LLC evaluate the circumstances surrounding the specific incident and the patient’s fall-related history at the facility.
Not all fall-related injuries involving nursing home patients will give rise to compensation.
However, we carefully examine each patient's medical chart and review the fall prevention protocols that were ordered versus what was applied by staff.
Patterns of Nursing Home Falls, Neglect, and Abuse
In many situations, there is a pattern of falls within a nursing home and a clear failure on the part of the nursing home staff to implement proper care, such as fall-prevention precautions.
As a patient's medical condition changes or deteriorates, nursing home facilities must modify the individual's medical care plan to adjust to their changing needs. When facilities fail to do so, they expose themselves to liability for abuse or neglect.
In these situations, a personal injury or wrongful death lawsuit can be filed against the facility under the Illinois Nursing Home Care Act to recover compensation for your loved one's injuries and related pain.
Contact an experienced nursing home abuse attorney at Rosenfeld Injury Lawyers, LLC for more information about filing a lawsuit.
How To Reduce Falls in Nursing Homes
Nursing home residents fall due to numerous risk factors. Nursing home falls occur at an alarming rate due to staff negligence.
According to state and federal guidelines, the nursing facility should complete a comprehensive risk assessment on every resident, including any past falls or accidents, the drugs they take, and their overall physical health.
Every staff member should receive proper training and follow established fall prevention strategies.
The nursing staff should ensure no environmental hazards, including slippery floors, poor lighting, improper exit signs, exposed debris, and broken fixtures and furnishings. Every resident's bed height should be adjusted to the proper level, and faulty bed rails should be replaced.
Speak With a Nursing Home Fall Lawyer in Chicago
Our Illinois nursing home abuse law firm knows how vital it is to review the patient’s complete chart from a facility to evaluate liability in nursing home fall cases.
When liability is established, the facility may be responsible for the associated pain, the decline in the quality of life, and medical bills related to treatment.
Call our nursing home negligence attorneys now at (888) 424-5757 (toll-free phone call) or use the on-page contact form to contact us to schedule a free consultation.
Nursing Home Patient Fall FAQs
Below are some questions families encounter when a loved one has suffered a fall at a nursing facility. We realize that these questions are only the beginning of a conversation.
Contact our legal team to talk with a nursing home abuse attorney about your options for moving forward.
Chicago Nursing Home Abuse Attorneys Experienced with Fall Injury Cases
As with all our nursing home negligence matters, our experienced Chicago, Illinois, nursing home abuse attorneys at Rosenfeld Injury Lawyers, LLC, accept all personal injury cases, elder abuse, and wrongful death lawsuits on a contingency fee basis.
This agreement ensures you only pay our fees once our nursing home lawyers obtain financial compensation on your behalf. Contact our nursing home abuse lawyer at (888) 424-5757 or use the contact form.
We also offer a free case evaluation for family members who have lost a loved one or was injured through nursing home abuse, neglect, or lack of medical care.