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South Carolina Nursing Home Attorneys Advocate for Slip and Fall Victims
Our lawyers provide strong counsel for elderly victims hurt on nursing home property
Falls are a serious concern for all older citizens. Slip and falls in nursing homes are no exception. Statistics from the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) confirm that 1,800 people in nursing homes die each year from a fall. Fall survivors often suffer permanent injuries. Over half of nursing home residents fall each year, many multiple times. The CDC numbers confirm that nursing home falls happen twice as much as falls by seniors who live on their own. This is due, in part, to the fact that many nursing home residents are less mobile than adults who live on their own.
Our South Carolina nursing home slip and fall attorneys are keenly aware that older fall victims suffer more from falls than younger victims because their injuries do not heal as quickly. Many older residents fear falling, which can cause anxiety and depression. The lawyers at McGowan, Hood, Felder & Phillips, LLC, know that nursing homes are required to pass safety inspections, including fall preparation, and train their staff to anticipate fall issues. We hold nursing homes accountable when they fail to follow these regulations or are just plain negligent.
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Reasons for nursing home slip and falls
There are many reasons the elderly fall in nursing homes. A quality nursing home will anticipate all of these hazards. Some of the more common reasons for falls are:
- The lack of mobility of the older resident
- Wet floors
- Objects on the floor or hallways
- A lack of railings or supports that the older person can hold onto
- Bad lighting
- The medications the older residents take, which may make them drowsy
- Weakness due to malnutrition or dehydration
- Staff who are not trained to lift and move patients properly
- Understaffing
What nursing homes can do to prevent falls
There are steps nursing homes can make to make themselves safer for their residents. Some common prevention strategies include:
- Developing a treatment plan for any patient with mobility issues. This can include physical therapy, wheelchairs, walkers, and instructions on how to use a walking cane.
- Improvements to the main rooms, including the bathroom. These improvements include grab bars and handrails. Beds and toilets should be the right height as well.
- A way to alert staff when an immobile patient is trying to move on his or her own.
- Proper flooring to avoid slips, along with proper footwear for the resident.
- A thorough review of the patient's medications.
- Removal of any hazard on the floor.
At McGowan, Hood, Felder & Phillips, LLC, a South Carolina nursing home slip and fall attorney reviews exactly why the fall occurred and what should have been done to prevent it. We inspect the location, complaints by other residents who fell, videotapes if there are any, and we speak with all relevant witnesses.
When a fall does occur, one of our South Carolina nursing home slip and fall lawyers seeks full compensation for the elder resident's injuries. This compensation includes payment for any medical surgeries, hospital visits, medical devices, and prescriptions. It also includes compensation for pain and suffering. We review all the relevant documents and evidence needed to prove the nursing home was responsible for the fall, beginning with whether the nursing home had a fall assessment plan in place as well as a review of all injuries the resident suffered.
McGowan, Hood, Felder & Phillips, LLC, fights to get fall victims full compensation
McGowan, Hood, Felder & Phillips, LLC, fights hard on behalf of nursing home residents and their families. We know you didn’t do anything wrong, and we don’t think you should have to pay for the mistakes and negligence of others. Please call us at 803-327-7800 for a free consultation with one of our lawyers, or fill out our contact form. We serve clients across South Carolina and have offices in Anderson, Columbia, Georgetown, Rock Hill, and Sumter.