Did You Suffer Hip Injuries and Pelvic Fractures Caused by Nursing Home Negligence in Illinois
Hip injuries and pelvic fractures are some of the most common types of personal injuries. In fact, according to statistics, 1 in 3 women and 1 in 12 men will sustain a hip fracture in their lifetime. Unfortunately, hip fractures and pelvic fractures are quite common in nursing homes. Other statistics indicate that nearly 300,000 people in the United States suffer a hip fracture each year, but residents of nursing homes or long-term care facilities are twice as likely to suffer a hip fracture than a person outside a facility. There are several reasons for this increased risk in nursing homes, including because some facilities fail to exercise proper care in maintaining their premises and caring for their residents. Understaffing, inadequate staffing, and outright abuse neglect could result in hip injuries and pelvic fractures caused by nursing home negligence in Illinois. If you or a loved one were victims of any type of serious hip or pelvic injuries, contact the experienced nursing home abuse lawyers in Springfield at the Noll Law Office for help.
They offer FREE consultations and pay the upfront costs of litigation, which are only reimbursed after a verdict, settlement, or another type of award is rendered in your favor. Additionally, they only get paid a percentage of what they recover for you and only after they make such a recovery. This means that there is a no-win, no-fee guarantee with their bodily injury law firm. And unlike other personal injury law firms, the Noll Law Office does not farm cases out across the state to new associates with limited experience. Rather, their nursing home abuse lawyers in Springfield are fifth-generation lawyers, serving the community like family. To learn more about how they can help you and your family, call to schedule your free case evaluation at (217) 414-8889.
What are the Types of Hip and Pelvic Injuries Caused by Nursing Home Negligence?
The hip is a very complicated joint that is incredibly important because it is weight-bearing and where a person’s strength, stability, and ambulation come from. As for the pelvis, this too is one of the most involved and complicated bones in the body. In fact, the pelvis is technically multiple bones that are connected together, comprised of the hip bones, sacrum, and coccyx. Together, these bones which form the pelvis sometimes called the pelvic griddle, are incredibly strong and able to support a lot of weight and a lot of force.
However, that does not mean that the hip joint or pelvis is indestructible. There are several common types of hip injuries and pelvic fractures caused by nursing home negligence in Illinois, including the following:
- Femoral neck fracture – This is the more serious type of hip fracture, as it can impair circulation and often requires surgery. This type of fracture typically leads to pain and immobility.
- Intertrochanteric hip fracture – This type of fracture occurs a few inches from the hip joint, but does not cause impairment of circulation of the bone.
- Pelvic fractures – Pelvic fractures are very painful and can be life-threatening for elderly nursing home residents. Pelvic fractures can occur as a result of a fall while walking or standing, or from being pushed out of bed or a chair. While nursing home residents may be at higher risk for fractures, there often is a fall or other type of traumatic event that causes a pelvic fracture. Pelvic fractures often take a significantly long time to heal and can cause secondary, life-threatening complications for these victims.
- Labral tears – The labrum is what forms the socket in the ball-and-socket joint of the hip. When the labrum tears, it often needs surgery to repair the damage done. Unfortunately, this may not permanently solve the problems that commonly come with a labral tear, which include muscle imbalances, increased likelihood of arthritis in the hip joint, range of motion restrictions, and strength limitations.
- Hip Dislocations – When a person’s body sustains a powerful jolt, or lands in a compromised position, a hip dislocation can be extremely painful and debilitating. In some instances, it can even be life-threatening if blood vessels or arteries are damaged or “pinched,” therefore preventing it from circulating blood.
Common Causes of Hip and Pelvic Injuries in Nursing Homes
There are many causes of hip and pelvic injuries due to nursing home negligence. This includes nursing home abuse and neglect too. Some of the most common causes include the following:
- Slip and fall accidents such as leaving cords out that could be tripping hazards, not cleaning up spills in a nursing home, torn carpets, not making changes in elevation, snow and ice accumulations, inadequate lighting, and other causes of slip, trip, and falls.
- Failure to put appropriate safeguards in place for fall-risk patients, such as fall mats, bed alarms, placing commonly needed items in reach of the patient, not using bed alarms, keeping the bed in a low position when a patient may fall, inadequate supervision, delays in responding to a request for help, and other common causes. This also includes residents who are prone to wandering or eloping, and may be a risk to themselves for these reasons.
- Malnutrition and/or dehydration – Residents who are not properly nourished and hydrated often have worsening muscle weakness, impaired coordination, balance, and confusion, which can increase the risk of falls.
- Abuse – Physical abuse is another cause of hip and pelvic injuries. Types of physical abuse that may lead to hip or pelvic injuries include kicking a resident, pushing them out of bed, out of a chair, or while walking, resulting in harm.
While the nursing home may try to tell you that the injury could not have been prevented, oftentimes negligence played a part in your loved one’s injury. Appropriate case evaluation with an experienced nursing home negligence lawyer in Springfield is not only warranted but necessary to ensure that you and your loved ones are appropriately compensated for the injuries caused as well as ensuring that you receive justice for any negligent acts that occurred.
Did You or a Loved One Suffer Hip Injuries and Pelvic Fractures Caused by Nursing Home Negligent in Illinois? Contact the Noll Law Office
The compassionate and experienced nursing home abuse lawyers in Springfield at the Noll Law Office can handle any type of serious, disabling, or catastrophic hip injury or pelvic fracture case in Illinois. They have the experience, resources, and skills necessary to fight back against reckless nursing homes and long-term care facilities. Their legal team will not let administrators, defense lawyers, or insurance adjusters protect dangerous staff members or facilities.
If you or a loved one were seriously injured in any type of nursing home accident that may have been caused by the abuse, neglect, or negligence of a staff member or facility, contact the experienced nursing home abuse lawyers in Springfield at the Noll Law Office.