Falls in Nursing Homes
A fall is one of the most common, dangerous, and devastating things a nursing home resident can suffer. However, it is rarely the simple accident that facilities claim it to be. Falls in nursing homes often trace back to understaffing, poor supervision, and a failure to follow the care plans the law requires. Across Mississippi, residents pay for these failures with broken bones, head injuries, and sometimes their lives.
If your loved one was injured in a fall at a facility, Williams Newman Williams stands ready to investigate. Contact our team today for your free, no-obligation consultation with our Jackson nursing home fall lawyer. Your case evaluation is fully confidential.
Why Choose Our Law Firm for Your Nursing Home Fall Injury Lawsuit?
The skilled Jackson nursing home fall attorneys at WNW understand that a fall case hinges on whether the facility could have prevented the harm and chose not to. As the most-referred law firm in Mississippi for nursing home abuse and neglect cases, we know how to investigate and prove such negligence. We have won more than 300 nursing home abuse, neglect, and abandonment cases across the Magnolia State.
The husband-and-wife team of Paul Williams and Courtney Williams focuses its practice on nursing home neglect. They understand how vital it is to know the state regulations that govern standards of care. They know that success comes from paying close attention to the nuances and details of each case.
As parents and family members who care for both children and older relatives, our firm’s leadership brings a grounded, real-world perspective that places care, concern, and protection at the forefront. WNW also keeps a trial-first mindset, preparing every case as though it is heading straight to a jury. In addition, we draw on a network of investigative resources and fall-prevention expert witnesses to build a compelling case.
Reach out to us today for your free, no-obligation, fully confidential case review. We charge nothing upfront to take your case, and there are no fees unless we successfully resolve your matter.
Why Do Falls Occur More Often in Nursing Homes?
Nursing home residents face a higher fall risk than the general population for understandable reasons. Many have unsteady gaits, weakened muscles, poor vision, or cognitive conditions such as dementia that make it hard to recognize the need for help. Many also take medications that affect balance and alertness.
However, a higher fall risk is not an excuse for a fall. Facilities have a duty to anticipate that residents will try to stand, walk, and use the restroom independently. The incidence of falls reduces significantly when a nursing home plans accordingly.
How Serious Are Falls in Nursing Homes?
Falls are among the most frequent and most harmful events in long-term care. One widely cited review of nursing home studies found an average of roughly 1.5 falls per bed each year, with some facilities reporting far higher rates. Due to their increased physical vulnerability, the consequences of a fall can be severe for elderly residents. Women face a particularly elevated risk of serious injury.
How Can Nursing Homes Be Held Accountable for Negligence After a Fall?
Federal and state regulations require nursing homes to assess each resident’s fall risk and implement reasonable prevention measures. When a facility ignores a known risk, fails to follow its own care plan, or leaves residents unsupervised because it is short-staffed, it breaches that duty.
Establishing nursing home fall liability means demonstrating the following:
- That the fall was foreseeable;
- That the facility failed to take the steps a careful provider would have taken; and
- That this failure caused the resident’s injury.
At WNW, our lawyers can investigate staffing logs, incident reports, care plans, and internal records to prove exactly where the facility fell short.
Who Else Could Be Held Liable for a Nursing Home Fall?
Responsibility often reaches beyond the floor staff on duty. For example, the facility’s corporate owner and management company set the staffing budgets and policies that determine whether residents receive adequate supervision. A staffing agency that supplied undertrained workers, a contractor responsible for maintaining safe floors and lighting, or an administrator who ignored repeated safety complaints might also share the blame.
We at WNW identify every party whose decisions contributed to the harm so that each one answers for its role.
Can I Sue a Nursing Home for a Fall?
The first question families often ask is, “Can I sue a nursing home for a fall?” In many cases, the answer is yes. When a facility fails to provide the supervision and prevention required by regulations, and a resident suffers a preventable fall as a result, the law allows the family to pursue a negligence claim. A facility cannot escape responsibility by blaming the resident for standing up, because the duty to supervise and protect rests with the people paid to provide care.
What Compensation Could You Recover for Injuries from a Fall in a Nursing Home?
The law allows victims and their families to recover for the full scope of the harm caused by a fall. A nursing home fall settlement may cover the following:
- Past and future medical expenses
- The cost of surgery and rehabilitation
- Physical pain and emotional distress
- The diminished quality of life that follows a serious injury
When a fall leads to a resident’s death, the family may pursue a wrongful death claim for funeral costs and the loss of their loved one.
At WNW, our extensive experience includes pursuing every available form of recovery and preparing each case to withstand the scrutiny of trial. Get in touch with us today to learn how we can pursue the compensation you and your family deserve after a loved one’s fall in a nursing home or long-term facility.
How Long Do You Have to File a Lawsuit for a Nursing Home Fall Injury in Mississippi?
The Mississippi statute of limitations gives families a three-year window to file a lawsuit. Missing that deadline can mean a court will refuse to hear your case, no matter how strong your argument. However, the exact time limit may depend on several factors, such as when the injury was discovered and whether the case involves a wrongful death.
Do not let your opportunity to demand compensation for your loved one’s fall pass; speak with an attorney at WNW as soon as possible.
What Can a Lawyer Do for Your Nursing Home Fall Injury Case?
A dedicated Jackson nursing home fall attorney can do the following:
- Act quickly to determine whether the fall was preventable
- Gather and preserve evidence
- Consult fall-prevention experts
- Identifies every liable party
- Pursue the maximum compensation a family deserves
An attorney can also guide you on how to report a nursing home fall in Jackson. This includes notifying the facility in writing, requesting the complete nursing chart along with EMS and hospital records, and reporting the incident to the Long-Term Care Ombudsman and Adult Protective Services through the Mississippi Department of Human Services. These reports can trigger an independent investigation.
At WNW, we understand that the legal process can feel intimidating and confusing. That is why we make sure to do the following:
- Prioritize real conversations from the very beginning
- Communicate clearly and consistently
- Keep you informed about your case status
- Provide the answers you and your family need
- Make ourselves available whenever you need to speak with us about your case
- Goes the distance no matter how difficult the fight becomes
What Are the Most Common Causes of Nursing Home Falls?
The common causes of falls in nursing homes include the following:
- Gait and balance disorders
- Muscle weakness
- Dizziness
- Confusion
- Poor vision
- Sudden drops in blood pressure
- Environmental hazards such as wet floors, poor lighting, and cluttered walkways
The underlying conditions that raise risk include lower-body weakness, cognitive impairment, and the use of sedating or psychoactive medications. Most of these factors are predictable, which is precisely why the law expects facilities to screen for them and respond. When a facility ignores these warning signs, a fall becomes not a matter of if but of when.
What Are Common Injuries from Falls in Nursing Homes?
The common types of nursing home fall injuries include the following:
- Hip fractures and other broken bones
- Head injuries such as concussions and brain bleeds
- Spinal injuries
- Deep lacerations
- Dislocations
For an elderly resident, even a single fracture can begin a downward spiral of immobility, infection, and decline. Head injuries are especially serious because symptoms may not appear until hours or days later.
How Can Falls Among the Elderly in Nursing Homes Be Prevented?
Most falls can be averted when a facility commits to proper care. Effective prevention includes the following measures:
- Assessing each resident’s fall risk on admission and updating the plan after any fall
- Checking on high-risk residents at regular, frequent intervals
- Following a toileting schedule to reduce the urge to get up unassisted at night
- Using bed and chair alarms that alert staff when a resident rises, and responding to them promptly
- Keeping beds low to the floor and placing cushioned floor mats beside them
- Removing environmental hazards (wet floors, poor lighting, obstructed pathways)
- Improving strength and balance through physical therapy
- Maintaining adequate, well-trained staff to carry out each care plan, and avoiding harmful physical restraints
When a facility follows these steps, serious falls become rare. When it does not, the failure is the facility’s responsibility.
Contact Our Jackson Nursing Home Fall Attorneys Today
A preventable fall is a betrayal of the trust your family placed in a facility, and your loved one deserves an advocate who treats it that way. At WNW, we have a track record of success in nursing home abuse lawsuits. Our trial-first approach and genuine care for every client we serve has made us the most referred law firm in Mississippi for these cases.
Contact Williams Newman Williams today for your free, fully confidential review of your loved one’s case. We charge no upfront fees, and you owe nothing unless WNW wins your case.
When You Need a Win, turn to WNW.
