Peoria Nursing Home Mobility Issue Lawyers

Legal Help for Victims of Nursing Home Neglect Related to Mobility Issues

Nursing home residents are particularly vulnerable to suffering injuries. Many patients who are elderly or disabled have health issues that put them at risk of serious complications if injuries should occur. Falls are some of the most common injuries that can affect people in nursing homes, and in many cases, they are related to mobility issues. In some cases, these injuries may occur because nursing homes fail to properly monitor and provide for the mobility needs of their residents. Families that have had a loved one suffer an injury due to nursing home negligence will need to determine how to address these issues correctly in order to protect a person’s ongoing health and safety.

At Nursing Home Injury Center, we work to help families understand their rights and options so that they can pursue justice for loved ones who have been injured while in the care of a nursing home. If a facility or its staff members did not take the proper measures to protect against falls or other injuries, or if a patient suffered harm due to nursing home neglect, we can identify the causes of an injury and ensure that they are properly addressed. Our goal is to make sure a negligent nursing home will be held accountable for injuries that were caused by negligence while also taking steps to improve safety and ensure that the proper policies and procedures are used to prevent these types of incidents.

Addressing Nursing Home Injuries Related to Mobility Concerns

Many nursing home residents experience issues that affect their mobility, limiting their ability to move throughout a facility, engage in activities, or interact with others without assistance. Fortunately, there are a variety of solutions available to ensure that nursing home patients can remain active. Some may be able to walk using a cane or walker, while others may use wheelchairs to get from one place to another. Assistance may also be needed to help a person get into or out of bed, stand up from a sitting position, or move from one area of a facility to another.

In some cases, falls or other injuries may occur because of a lack of supervision. If a person does not receive assistance when necessary, they may attempt to engage in activities such as getting out of bed or walking down hallways on their own, and they may be unable to prevent falls, or different parts of their bodies may be injured due to improper use.

Injuries related to mobility equipment may also occur, such as:

• Wheelchairs that lack the proper safety features – In some cases, wheelchairs used at a nursing home may not meet the appropriate standards for safety, or they may not function correctly due to age or maintenance issues. For example, the brakes on a wheelchair may not completely stop the wheels from turning, which could cause the wheelchair to move when a person is standing up or sitting down, resulting in a dangerous fall injury.
• Improper use of walkers or canes – While these devices can help a person walk when they need support, they may not be appropriate for patients with certain conditions. Nursing home staff members should make sure to follow the recommendations of doctors and refer to patient care plans when determining what types of equipment should be used. Allowing a person to use a cane or walker when they are unable to do so safely may place them at risk of harm.
• Failure to use equipment properly – When transferring patients from one place to another, nursing home staff should make sure equipment such as gait belts or lifts are used correctly. If staff members are not properly trained in the use of this equipment, or if they fail to follow the correct procedures, injuries may occur.

Help With Mobility-Related Nursing Home Injuries

When patients’ mobility needs are not addressed correctly, injuries can take place, and they may result in significant harm or even wrongful death. Families of nursing home residents who have been injured because of negligence will need to take steps to determine exactly what happened and why. At Nursing Home Injury Center, we can provide guidance in these situations, helping families understand the resources that are available to them and the options for addressing nursing home negligence. Contact us today and schedule a free consultation by calling 309-524-6900.