The relatively small fine ($2,200) assessed to Alden Estates of Evanston detracts from the serious acts of nursing home neglect taking place at the facility. Unless the administration of the home takes action to stem the acts of neglect that are taking place, the residents of Alden Estates are going to suffer serious injuries from nursing home falls.
According to a nursing home violation report filed by the Illinois Department of Health, during a routine inspection a resident was found in an armchair with “massive bruising” on the side of her face. A nurse reported that the resident had suffered a fall a week earlier. The fall was serious enough to result in a hospital admission and a dozen staples to the 92-year-old woman’s head.
The state of Illinois requires that all nursing home residents who have a history of falls must have a fall prevention care plan that addresses and assesses the risk of subsequent falls and provides recommendations for fall prevention. Even though the resident’s chart included notes that she frequently attempted to walk to the bathroom on her own, Alden Estates of Evanston failed to address any potential changes in her care.
If you have a loved one that has been injured due to a fall in a nursing home, you may be considering whether or not to file a lawsuit. A lawsuit based on a nursing home fall depends on several issues: Was the resident properly assessed for the risk of a fall? Was the treatment plan that resulted from the fall adequate? Finally, was the plan properly implemented?
One of our core beliefs is that nursing homes are built to fail due to the business model they follow and that unnecessary injuries and illnesses and wrongful deaths of residents are the inevitable result. Order our FREE report, Built to Fail, to learn more about why. Our experienced Chicago nursing home lawyers are ready to help you understand what happened, why, and what your rights are. Contact us to get the help you need.
Other blog posts on nursing home falls:
Unsafe transfer at Alden Courts of Shorewood
Fall and brain bleed at Alpine Fireside
Fatal injuries in fall at Alden Town Manor
Fall from wheelchair result in broken hip at Meadowbrook Manor