California Nursing Home Abuse Lawyer Blog
In Marin County and throughout the Bay Area, nursing home residents are at risk of various types of injuries that can result from facility negligence and passive neglect. Staff members may not intend to cause harm, but due to issues such as understaffing and staff burnout, residents do not receive the type or degree of care they need. As MedlinePlus and the National Library of Medicine underscore, as we age, sensory and other physical changes occur that can make injuries more likely without careful assistance and monitoring, especially changes to vision, balance, and throat muscles. These three forms of physical decline, in particular, can be especially dangerous because they can result in falls and choking injuries in nursing homes and assisted-living facilities. Our Marin County nursing home negligence lawyers can tell you more.
How Fall-Related and Choking Injuries Happen in Nursing Homes
Injuries resulting from falls and choking both have something important in common: they often occur when a nursing home resident has not received the amount of care or assistance they require. For example, many nursing home residents need assistance with certain daily activities to avoid a fall. Similarly, many residents need particular assistance at meal times to prevent a choking incident.
Falls and resulting injuries frequently occur when a resident with vision or mobility issues does not receive assistance with certain activities of daily living, such as getting dressed or bathing. These injuries also occur when residents need assistance getting from their room to a dining area or other common area, for example, and do not receive that assistance. Likewise, choking injuries frequently happen when residents are given meals that contain known choking hazards or foods that are not properly sized. Similarly, when residents with known medical issues that make choking more likely are not properly monitored during meal times, choking injuries can happen and can result in death.
Liability for Falls and Choking Injuries in Marin County Facilities
Whenever a fall-related or choking injury results from negligent care in the nursing home — i.e., a lack of care, or insufficient care — the nursing home can be liable.
Falls can result in both nonfatal and fatal injuries, which can give rise to lawsuits against the facility. Choking has become a leading cause of death among older adults, according to the National Safety Council, and these fatal injuries often give rise to wrongful death claims against nursing homes.
Contact Our Marin County Nursing Home Negligence Attorneys for Assistance with Your Case
Nursing homes are required to provide residents with particular levels of care that meet their individual needs. For residents with vision and mobility issues, and those who are at increased risk of choking, the facility must provide particular forms of assistance to prevent injuries. When a fall-related injury or choking-related injury does occur, the facility may be legally responsible due to negligence. An experienced and dedicated Marin County nursing home negligence lawyer can discuss the details of your family’s case in more detail with you today. Contact Nursing Home Law Group for assistance and to learn more about the services we provide to families throughout the Bay Area.
See Related Blog Posts:
When Special Needs Adults Are Neglected: Understanding Facility Liability in California
