An experienced Atlanta nursing home neglect attorney explains what you need to know
A hip fracture can be one of the most severe injuries nursing home residents sustain in their lives. In an instant, they may not be able to walk or could even develop a serious infection as a result of their hip fracture. Hip fractures have even been associated with an increase in mortality within one year after such an injury, according to recent studies. Specifically, the one-year mortality rate for people with hip fractures was 42 percent between 2007 and 2014, according to a study conducted by Harvard Medical School.
That’s why another recent study which found there was an increase in the number of hip fractures among nursing home residents was so startling. Atlanta nursing home neglect attorney George S. Johnson explains these findings and what you should do if you or your loved one sustained a hip fracture in a nursing home.
Unsettling Statistics About Hip Fractures in Nursing Homes
Harvard Medical School researchers studied the number of hip fractures among long-term nursing home residents between 2007 and 2015. Their findings were publishing in the Journal of Bone and Mineral Research. The study defined long-term residents as anyone who was admitted on a long-stay basis, which is defined as a stay of at least 100 days. Based on their research, the Harvard physicians who conducted the study discovered:
- 2.6 million long-term nursing home residents sustained hip fractures between 2007 and 2015.
- A 7.4 percent increase in the number of hip fractures in nursing home residents between 2013 and 2015.
- Newly admitted nursing home residents are particularly vulnerable to hip fracture.
In addition, the study found that one-year mortality rates for nursing home residents after a hip fracture remained high through the time period studied. In 2007, the one-year mortality rate was 42.6 percent. In 2014, the one-year mortality rate was 42.1 percent.
What Are Common Causes of Hip Fractures in Nursing Homes?
Hip fractures in nursing homes can happen for a lot of different reasons. But in many cases, hip fractures occur due to nursing home neglect. Specific causes of hip fractures in nursing homes due to neglect include:
- Trip and fall accidents caused by unmarked hazards.
- Slip and fall accidents that are the result of water or other liquids left on the floor.
- Unsanitary conditions at the nursing home, resulting in a serious fall.
- Understaffing at the nursing home, resulting in lack of cleaning and maintenance.
- Inexperienced staff members who fail to properly monitor nursing home residents.
Every nursing home injury or accident is unique. That’s why it’s important for families to take certain steps if their loved one fractured their hip in a nursing home accident.
What should I do if I sustained a hip fracture in a nursing home?
If you or a loved one sustained a hip fracture in a nursing home in Georgia, we strongly advise you to take the following steps:
- Seek immediate medical attention. A hip fracture can be painful and may result in other medical problems due to complications.
- Tell the nursing home that you or a loved one sustained a hip fracture.
- Do not discuss your injury or accident with the nursing home.
- Do not post anything on social media about your injury or accident.
- Contact a nursing home neglect attorney as soon as possible.
Our law firm can assist you with your hip fracture case and investigate whether your injury occurred due to neglect or abuse. We can also deal directly with the nursing home on your behalf as well as with the Office of the State Long-Term Care Ombudsman, the state agency which investigates allegations of nursing home abuse or neglect throughout Georgia.
Understand your legal rights. Contact a nursing home neglect attorney
Make sure you fully understand your legal rights if you or a loved one sustained a hip fracture in a nursing home in Georgia. Contact the Law Office of George S. Johnson and schedule your free case evaluation today.