Lawsuit filed against nursing home for fall, decubitus ulcer

The family of a Nebraska nursing home resident has filed a nursing home wrongful death suit against the facility where she resided prior to her death.  The nursing home abuse case claims that the staff was negligent in allowing her to fall and then the staff failed to notify her physician that a decubitus ulcer developed.

There is significant liability for falls in nursing homes because the nursing home must do a comprehensive assessment of the resident's fall risk, develop a care plan, implement the care plan, evaluate the effectiveness of the care plan, and revise the care plan if needed.

Consequences of falls in nursing homes can be quite severe.  Many nursing home residents have decreasded bone density which leaves them vulnerable to fractures from falling.   Undergoing surgical repair of fractured bones can be quite risky from a medical standpoint, so it is not even attempted for some nursing home residents.  Further, during the period of recovery from the surgery, nursing home residents have a risk of developing complications such as decubtius ulcers or pneumonia, all of which result in increased disability and risk of death for the nursing home residents.

Because falls are such a significant health risk for nursing home residents, it is incument on the nursing home staff to develop a proper care plan and implement it.  As an experienced Chicago nursing home lawyer, it has been my experience that many nursing home falls are the result of either an indequate assessment of the fall risk, an inadeqaute care plan, or failing to carry out the care plan.