The Deadly Link Between Nursing Home Injuries and Traumatic Brain Injuries

As Ohio nursing home injury lawyers, we have helped countless victims of nursing home negligence.  While nursing home negligence can take many forms and cause a wide variety of injuries, nursing home falls are among the most common and the most dangerous results of nursing home negligence.

Nursing Home Falls

Nursing home falls often happen because of negligent nursing home staff or improper caretaking procedures.  Patients and residents can fall as the result of being improperly secured in a bed, lack of assistance and supervision while walking, or improperly maintained facilities.  These falls can lead to both significant non-fatal personal injuries (e.g., bone fractures, lacerations, and blunt trauma) and fatal injuries.  In fact, the CDC estimates that roughly 1,800 people will die each year from nursing home fall injuries.

Nursing Home Falls and Traumatic Brain Injury

Traumatic brain injury (“TBI”) occurs when a head injury disruptions the functioning of the brain.  TBI can cause minor or severe damage to the brain, but in all cases is considered a serious risk to the well-being of the injured person.  Of course, everyone is at risk of sustaining TBI, not merely nursing home patients and residents.  However, there are several factors that make TBI’s a significant concern in nursing home falls.

First and foremost, falls are the leading cause of TBI.  They pose an inherent risk of causing significant injury to the brain, and so a nursing home’s failure to take proper precautions to prevent falls is egregious and unacceptable.  Additionally, the CDC reports that those over 64 have the highest rates of both hospitalization and death related to TBI.  In other words, the vast majority of any nursing home population is at the highest risk for TBI.  The nursing homes know this, and they know that their carelessness and negligence will cause significant brain injuries.

Why, then, do injuries still occur?  Unfortunately, many nursing homes cut corners and put their profits before the safety of their residents.  But Ohio law allows victims of nursing home negligence to have their day in court.

If you or your loved one sustained a nursing home injury as the result of a fall, bed sores, infections, medication errors, or assault, our team of nursing home attorneys has the experience and skill to assist you in the aftermath of a nursing home injury.  Contact the Cleveland nursing home injury lawyers at Lowe Scott Fisher Co., LPA for a free consultation.