Finding out that your parent has broken his or her back in a nursing home can come as a devastating shock. You might feel a whole host of emotions ranging from fear to anguish to anger. If the circumstances behind the accident seem strange or unclear, trust your instincts. Nursing homes often cover up instances of neglect or abuse to avoid liability, and your family could be entitled to significant compensation if the facility is found responsible.
A nursing home abuse attorney can help you investigate the injury and identify the responsible parties. At Nursing Home Injury Center, we are here to help you and your loved ones get justice for injuries caused by neglect in a nursing home or other care facilities. We can represent you in a personal injury claim, fighting for your right to a full remedy for your parent’s injury.
Arrange for Medical Care
If you have not done so already, you should make sure that your parent receives quality medical care. An injury to the spinal cord carries the risk of permanent paralysis, possibly from the neck down.
Whatever the doctor or surgeon has to say about your parent’s condition, pay close attention. Recovering from a broken back may require intensive physical therapy and a brace. You should make sure that the nursing home receives any instructions for care and that the doctor’s recommendation is followed to the letter.
With a broken back, getting quick medical attention is of the utmost importance. If the injury is not addressed promptly, your parent’s health could worsen over time. At Nursing Home Injury Center, we can help you get proper care for your parent’s back injury.
Hold on to Medical Records
After making sure that your parent is properly taken care of, you should preserve as much documentation as you can about the injury. X-rays and post-exam writeups can serve as irrefutable evidence of the damage your parent suffered.
Insurance companies will often attempt to underpay injured victims by downplaying their injuries. By presenting your parent’s medical records, you can negotiate for greater compensation. At Nursing Home Injury Center, we can secure copies of your parent’s medical records as evidence for your claim.
Additionally, if we find that the nursing home did not follow a care plan recommended by a doctor, we can fight for additional compensation for damages. Compensation can include the cost of medical expenses, physical therapy, and a visit to the emergency room, as well as pain and suffering.
Seek Legal Representation
In cases of nursing home neglect or abuse, the earlier you get in contact with an attorney, the better. Nursing facilities may attempt to cover their tracks by disposing of evidence related to the incident. An attorney will take the initiative to preserve as much proof as possible, such as footage from security cameras, staffing numbers, or eyewitness testimony.
At Nursing Home Injury Center, we can provide you with professional legal counsel to keep you informed of your options throughout your case. We can also speak on your behalf during negotiations for a settlement, advocating for your parent’s rights. If the nursing facility’s insurance company will not agree to a fair settlement, our attorneys can take your claim to court. When you work with our firm, you will receive aggressive, personalized representation to address your parent’s needs.
Causes of Back Injuries in Nursing Home Patients
To get compensation for your parent’s broken back, you will have to prove that the nursing home’s negligence led to the injury. It goes without saying that most nursing homes will not admit fault for the accident, so a thorough investigation will be required.
Falls are a leading cause of back injuries in nursing homes. A fall can be caused by:
- Inadequate supervision: If the nursing home does not pay careful attention to its residents, the risk of a fall may increase.
- Hazards on the premises: A broken stair step, faulty wheelchairs, or objects strewn on the floor can endanger residents.
- Wandering and elopement: When a resident with a mental health condition is left to roam on his or her own, the odds of a fall may increase.
In many cases, nursing home falls can be traced back to understaffing. Upper management at nursing facilities may attempt to cover up a clear staffing issue by falsifying their staff reporting numbers. Our attorneys can look for discrepancies in reporting by observing the conditions at the facility.
A resident’s care plan not being followed closely could indicate staffing issues. For instance, if your parent required at least two people to be lifted, and the accident was caused by one person trying to carry out a lift, it might suggest that the employees are spread too thin.
File a Personal Injury Claim
Once we have compiled all available evidence and gotten an estimate for your parent’s damages, we can move forward to take legal action against the nursing facility. If a back injury results in permanent disability, we can also push for compensation for damages to your parent’s quality of life.
In more serious cases, the strain of a back injury can result in the rapid deterioration of your parent’s health, possibly ending in death. If you have lost a parent to the negligence of a nursing home, you can file a wrongful death claim against the facility to get compensation for funeral expenses and end-of-life care.
In past cases, we have helped injured nursing home residents and their families secure hundreds of thousands of dollars in settlements and claims. Our lawyers will not accept any offers for a settlement for any less than what you deserve. Act quickly – injury cases need to be brought within two years of the injury or the opportunity will be lost.
Contact a Peoria, IL Nursing Home Abuse Lawyer
In older populations, back injuries can be very serious. Holding negligent nursing facilities accountable for the harm they cause demands a thorough investigation with hard evidence. At Nursing Home Injury Center, we can help you take legal action against neglectful nursing homes, providing you with valuable guidance and representation in a personal injury claim.
Our Peoria County, IL nursing home neglect attorneys are here to represent the rights of your elderly loved ones. To schedule a free consultation with our firm, call our offices at 309-524-6900 today.
