Baltimore Nursing Homes Falls and Fractures Attorney

Because the elderly are more likely to suffer serious injuries and devastating fractures after a fall, nursing homes are obligated to help protect their vulnerable residents. Unfortunately, many long-term care facilities fail in this basic obligation. When they do, they can be held accountable for residents’ injuries and losses. 

At Brown & Barron, our Baltimore nursing home falls and fractures attorneys have focused most of our practice on this area of the law. We can apply over 137 years of experience to your claim and fight for your family’s financial recovery. You’ll receive a free consultation when you call.

Helping Maryland Families Seek Justice for Preventable Falling Injuries

If you suspect that nursing home negligence may have played a role in your loved one’s fall injuries, our legal team at Brown & Barron can assist you with the process of filing a claim in Baltimore. We’ve represented hundreds of clients in complex nursing home lawsuits over the years. With decades of trial experience, our compassionate attorneys know how to approach these matters with both the sensitivity and rigorous advocacy your family deserves.

Get in touch with a falls and fractures lawyer serving Baltimore, (410) 698-1717 for a free case evaluation.

Helping Maryland Families Seek Justice for Preventable Falling Injuries

Falling may not sound like a serious accident to some, but in reality, falls account for more than 2.8 million emergency room visits annually – and for seniors, falls are also the leading cause of fatal and non-fatal injuries, per the National Council on Aging (NCOA). 

In addition to the incalculable human cost of these injuries, falls among the elderly account for over $50 billion in medical expenses every year, with Medicaid and Medicare taking on approximately 75% of those costs.

If your loved one’s fall and subsequent fracture were caused by neglect or abuse in their nursing home, you should not have to shoulder such expenses. Moreover, the liable parties may owe you damages for intangible damages, such as pain and suffering. Our attorneys are here to help.

Seeking Justice for Nursing Home Fall Injuries in Baltimore

To recover compensation, you must prove the nursing home’s negligence caused the injury. Once you establish this, you could collect the following in damages: 

• Medical bills: If your loved one had to ride in an ambulance or go to the emergency room after the fall, you can include those costs in your claim. You can also include any out-of-pocket costs for doctor’s appointments, medications, or medical supplies. In addition, if the injuries will require ongoing care after the case is settled, you can include future medical expenses in your claim. 
• Rehabilitative care: If your loved one requires physical therapy or occupational therapy, you can include those costs in your claim. 
• Pain and suffering: The pain from a fracture can be severe and last for a long time. We can include the pain, anguish, and discomfort the injury caused in your claim.  
• Emotional distress: Falling and fracturing a bone can cause a lot of fear and anxiety, particularly when it causes the victim to be bedridden for an extended period. If your loved one is suffering from any mental health conditions because of the injury, you can include emotional distress damages in your claim. 

Why Falls Are Critical for Elderly Care

As mentioned before, falling is a leading cause of injury for seniors. The reasons for this are twofold; first, seniors are more likely to fall due to reduced mobility and coordination from aging. Second, seniors have more fragile bones and may therefore be susceptible to severe bone fractures. If an elderly person also has an underlying condition like osteoporosis, the risk of a life-altering bone fracture becomes even greater.

Some other complications that can arise when seniors fall include: 

• Head wounds and traumatic brain injuries (TBIs)
• Spinal cord injury and permanent paralysis
• Surgical complications, such as infections and blood clots
• Painful physical therapy
• Extended rehabilitation and recovery time
• Bedsores or pressure ulcers while bedridden

Even when seniors do not sustain extremely serious injuries in a fall, a minor fracture still has the potential to reduce their mobility for weeks and months at a time, increasing rates of social isolation and depression. Because many nursing home residents already struggle with these mental health issues, it’s even more imperative for nursing homes to take reasonable precautions against all falls.

Preventing Falls: Safety Measures for Nursing Homes

Nursing homes and long-term care facilities are tasked with assisting seniors who have existing medical conditions and serious illnesses, many of which can increase the risk of falling. Whether they have a physical condition like diabetes or a degenerative disease like Alzheimer’s, some seniors can easily lose their balance when unattended—even for short periods. 

Nursing homes should implement reasonable precautions against falling in their facilities, particularly for the most vulnerable residents. At a minimum, these precautions should include: 

• Maintaining appropriate staffing levels at the facility
• Providing constant supervision to seniors who have underlying conditions and a greater risk of falling
• Training facility staff in proper transfer techniques when moving a senior from their wheelchair, bed, or chair
• Prescribing and giving correct dosages of medication to avoid undue grogginess
• Keeping the facility clean and free from trip and slip hazards

Common Bone Fractures in Nursing Homes: Types and Treatment

Broken or fractured bones are classified in the following ways: 

• Traumatic bone fracture: These fractures typically occur after a serious fall where extreme force is exerted on the bone. 
• Spontaneous fracture: These fractures typically occur without any blunt force applied to the bone. Spontaneous fractures are more likely to occur in the elderly population or those with osteoporosis. Nursing home facilities must know how to care for their residents who sustain a spontaneous fracture during their recovery.
• Stress fracture: This is a fracture of the bone that occurs after repeated mechanical stress. In the nursing home setting, a stress fracture could go unnoticed for an extended time and become more severe over time. Early treatment of these fractures is important for a full recovery. 

Get Help Now: Contact Our Baltimore Nursing Home Abuse Lawyers today to schedule a free case review with a falls and fractures lawyer serving Baltimore

At Brown & Barron, We Bring Your Family Into Our Family

When the unthinkable happens and your loved one suffers fractures from a fall, the nursing home neglect and abuse attorneys at Brown & Barron will fight for your family. It can be devastating to hear your loved one has been injured due to the negligence of a facility you trusted. 

Our team has over 137 years of combined experience in trial law. We will work hard to reach a fair settlement, but we are prepared to fight for you in court if one cannot be reached. 

We want your family to receive justice and have an opportunity to hold the nursing home accountable. 

We offer the following to our clients: 

• Free consultations: We offer free 24/7 consultations to all potential clients. During the consultation, you can ask us any questions regarding your case, and we will discuss your legal options. 
• Contingency fee: Our attorneys work on a contingency-fee basis. This means we do not charge for our services unless we win your case and you recover compensation. 
• Results-oriented representation: We will fight for you to receive the maximum amount of compensation for your losses. We have recovered millions of dollars for past clients. 
• Personalized guidance: Each case will receive the personal attention it deserves.