Be Careful in That Wheelchair! Nursing Home Residents Suffer Serious Injuries in Wheelchair Accidents
Nursing homes are places where we expect our elderly loved ones to be safe and secure. However, the reality is that nursing home residents can still be victimized in nursing home accidents and suffer physical injuries – even when they are using a wheelchair to aid their movement around the nursing home.
Many seniors residing in NJ nursing homes use a wheelchair to get around. Nursing home workers need to be sufficiently trained when it comes to assisting residents in wheelchairs. That’s because wheelchair accidents are more common than one might think. Nurses and aides must know the proper technique to transfer the resident to/from a wheelchair. Doing this safely reduces the chances of falls with related fractures and other injuries. A wheelchair accident can happen when the nursing home doesn’t properly inspect and maintain its wheelchairs. Whether it’s due to faulty wheels on the wheelchair, problems with the brakes, or some other issue, the end result can be a serious accident in which the nursing home patient falls out of the chair and suffers a potentially catastrophic injury. For this reason, the facility must regularly inspect wheelchairs and make necessary repairs.
Moreover, a wheelchair accident can be particularly harmful to a person who already suffers from diminished health. This can do serious damage to the patient both physically and emotionally. Hip and femur fractures that often occur when nursing home residents fall from wheelchairs are among the leading causes of death for the elderly in nursing homes and other elder care facilities.
If your elderly loved one was injured as a result of nursing home negligence, you should talk to a qualified nursing home neglect lawyer. Barry Sugarman is an experienced NJ nursing home negligence attorney who will make sure your loved one gets the care they need, want, and deserve. Contact Mr. Sugarman today to schedule a free consultation about your case.
