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Attorneys For Chicago Nursing Home Patients' Fractures
Elderly men and women in the Chicago area are often extremely vulnerable to broken bones and the increased potential of serious fractures. Aging individuals 65 years and older, especially women, suffer from a variety of bone diseases including osteoporosis, where the mineral density of bone is greatly reduced. In fact, the highest number of bone fractures in nursing home patients occur to both men and women 75 years and older.
Rosenfeld Injury Lawyers represents Chicago nursing home patients who have suffered a broken during their admission to a facility. If your loved one sustained a fracture during a nursing home admission as a result abuse or neglect on the part of the facility let our team investigate and prosecute the incident without any cost or obligation on your end. Our office has experience with nursing home fracture cases and is ready to get started with your case today.
Types of Fractures Sustained by Nursing Home Patients
Broken bones can happen as traumatic fractures, stress fractures, or spontaneous fractures. Traumatic bone fractures in nursing home patients are typically the result of a serious fall, with associated trauma. A spontaneous fracture, often referred to as a compression fracture, usually occurs without trauma, in the hip or spine. These types of fractures usually happen in nursing home patients suffering from osteoporosis, when the bones become brittle and weakened.
A stress fracture is a small bone crack usually a result of repetitive motion or overuse, and often occurs in the feet and legs. In many nursing home scenarios, stress fractures go unnoticed until they become increasingly painful and severe over time. However, early treatment of a stress bone fracture can be crucial to ensure the patient recovers properly. Because of that, residents of nursing homes suffering stress fractures should have a modified care plan to ensure the best recovery.
It is essential that nursing home facilities develop an effective care plan to treat a spontaneous fracture properly. The care plan is necessary to ensure that walking is performed correctly to improve the strength of the bone, as an effective component in the recovery program. Over-strenuous walking can exacerbate the condition during the healing process and might contribute to additional fractures.
Negligent Nursing Home Care Leaves Some Patients With Broken Bones
Unfortunately, nursing home facilities are often understaffed or mismanaged. The staff does not always pay close attention to the patient’s needs or provide the best methods to prevent broken bones. In addition, broken bones are not always identified quickly or treated as soon as they occur.
In some incidences, the negligent actions of the staff or facility can cause bones to fracture when the patient falls or performs an inappropriate movement. Some negligent actions include:
- Any time the staff drops a patient when attempting to move or lift her or him
- Inadequate staffing at a busy facility
- Lack of proper training in handling the patient’s mobility requirements
- Lack of proper supervision, such as accidents with wheelchairs
- Inadequate staffing to monitor patients and prevent them from wandering away
- Any hazardous condition that leads to a trip and fall, or slip and fall, accident
One way to provide adequate care is to develop a resident health plan for every patient suffering from osteoporosis. This will ensure that the best foods for preventing bone loss are consumed. Every osteoporosis patient menu would include a balance of dairy products, leafy vegetables, tofu, salmon and almonds, along with other foods that provide adequate supplies of Vitamin D and calcium. Most importantly, it is essential that the nursing home quickly identify any fracture as soon as it occurs, to provide the resident proper medical treatment.
Catastrophic Results Related To Elderly Sustaining Fractures in Nursing Homes
Fractures in nursing home patients can produce catastrophic results, by decreasing his or her quality of life, creating a dangerous secondary serious medical condition, or even death. Broken bones need to be quickly identified and properly treated under the best care. Even under the best conditions, rehabilitation of a fracture can take months for full physical and emotional recovery. In the meantime, the patient often becomes immobile, producing other medical issues including the development of bed sores and hygiene problems.
Legal Options Available To An Individual Or Family Related To A Broken Bone In A Chicago Nursing HomeRosenfeld Injury Lawyers have enjoyed success in dealing with nursing home negligence cases throughout Illinois. Whenever an elderly individual suffers a broken bone in a nursing home, while under the care of others, it might be the result of negligent actions by the staff and/or facility. Because of that, it is imperative to seek legal options for financial compensation.
Rosenfeld Injury Lawyers assist Illinois nursing home abuse victims in their recovery for the suffering, pain, damages and injuries they have endured. In addition, legal representation can hold the responsible parties accountable for their actions, and save other patients from the reckless disregard by staff members in the nursing facility. Call (888) 424-5757 for a free consultation concerning the nursing home abuse claim.
