Falls are the leading cause of injuries to the elderly. While a fracture or broken bone may seem like a relatively minor injury, the reality is that these injuries can have a significant impact on an elder’s ability to perform basic day-to-day tasks. If you have suffered a broken bone or fracture in an accident caused by someone else’s negligence at a nursing home, we can help. At the Law Offices of Robert Dixon, our Miami nursing home negligence attorneys can scrutinize the facts of your case and help you pursue the compensation you deserve for your harm.
A fracture refers to a broken bone. It can be a thin crack to a complete break. A bone can be fractured in just one place or in many places. A fracture can occur on almost any bone in the body. A fracture can happen in one place or in multiple places on the same bone. A simple fracture occurs when the bone breaks but does not pierce the skin, whereas a compound fracture takes place when the bone breaks and pierces through the skin. For seniors at a nursing home, fractures can have devastating consequences. Particularly for adults who are 65 years old and older, fractures can take months to heal, and, in some cases, they never heal properly.
In nursing homes, fractures are most often results of slip and fall accidents. Unfortunately, many nursing homes do not take adequate measures to make sure their residents are safe from the risk of falls. Lack of proper supervision, poor lighting, and even physical abuse can contribute to a higher risk of falls. As a result, it is imperative that nursing homes take all necessary measures to make sure residents do not face unnecessary risks of falls or injuries.
Nursing home laws in Florida require a certain level of care for each resident. When a nursing home fails to provide a certain level of care, the injured resident may be able to recover compensation for his or her harm through a negligence claim. Nursing home negligence takes place when an injury or death results due to a nursing home’s failure to use the level of care that another nursing home would have met in the same or similar circumstances to reasonably protect residents from harm. Put another way, nursing home negligence takes place when the facility fails to carry out its duties, causing harm to a resident.
As with other cases, the window to file a lawsuit against a nursing home is limited. Florida Statute 429.296 states that the statute of limitations in nursing home cases is two years. In other words, a plaintiff has two years from the incident to file a claim in civil court. Failing to file within this time frame likely means the plaintiff’s case is legally nullified.
If you or your loved one suffered a fracture or a broken bone due to a nursing home fall, you may be entitled to compensation for your harm. At the Law Offices of Robert Dixon, our seasoned Miami nursing home negligence attorneys can analyze the facts of your case and pursue full and fair compensation on your behalf. We proudly take on clients throughout South Florida. To speak to us in more detail, call us at 1-877-499-HURT (4878) or reach out to us online today.
More Blog Posts:
Summary Judgment in Florida Personal Injury Cases, South Florida Injury Lawyer Blawg, November 2, 2017
Crush Injuries Florida, South Florida Injury Lawyer Blawg, November 2, 2017
Preponderance of the Evidence Standard in Florida Civil Cases, South Florida Injury Lawyer Blawg, November 2, 2017