Articles Posted in Elder Care

In California, residents of Residential Care Facilities for the Elderly (RCFEs) and skilled nursing facilities often rely entirely on the facility to arrange and provide transportation. This may be for routine medical appointments, specialist visits, therapy, social outings, or even transfers between facilities. While this might seem straightforward, improper handling during transportation is a significant and often-overlooked source of serious injuries to vulnerable residents.

Elderly residents may have fragile bones, limited mobility, and chronic health conditions that make them highly susceptible to harm. A fall while getting into or out of a van, being improperly secured in a wheelchair, or a sudden jolt during transport can result in fractures, head trauma, or other life-threatening injuries. These incidents are not just “accidents” — they are often the result of negligence by staff who fail to follow basic safety procedures.

At Nursing Home Law Group, we have represented numerous families whose loved ones were hurt during facility-arranged transport. These cases often reveal troubling patterns: untrained drivers, poorly maintained lift equipment, inadequate supervision, and failure to secure residents properly. In some situations, residents are left unattended in vehicles for dangerous periods of time, leading to heat stroke, dehydration, or other preventable medical emergencies.