Nursing Home Slips and Falls | When to Sue for Negligence

Has a loved one been injured in an Odessa, Texas nursing home? If so, you are likely entitled to some compensation. Slip-and-fall accidents can be hugely dangerous, even fatal at an advanced age. Avoiding them is one of the many reasons why we entrust our elderly relatives to nursing homes rather than having them live by themselves. Allowing such accidents to happen is negligent and could constitute malpractice. Contact one of Carabin Shaw’s personal injury attorneys specializing in Odessa nursing home negligence today.

How can a slip and fall—a simple accident—be the result of negligence? Though they may seem like unavoidable mishaps, the truth is that we entrust our loved ones to nursing homes specifically to prevent such accidents from taking place. If they happen regardless, then, somewhere along the line, someone was likely acting negligently. If your relative has been the victim of a slip and fall accident, consider the help of an Odessa elder abuse lawyer in determining the specifics of the nursing home’s liability.

Nursing homes are both medical facilities and residences. They are responsible for the physical well-being of their residents. As we age, the likelihood of developing mobility issues, which can lead to slips and falls, increases drastically. It is incumbent on a nursing home’s medical staff to be aware of their residents’ mobility needs and provide solutions for accessibility. They should provide walkers or wheelchairs or personally assist residents who need help keeping their balance.

A slip and fall means that staff either neglected to monitor the patient closely enough to tell that they needed help with mobility, or that they neglected to provide that help. Either way, their actions were negligent, and an Odessa nursing home negligence lawyer can help you pursue compensation for them.

As a nursing home must not only provide medical services to its residents but also serve as a permanent home, management must provide a safe living environment for all residents. This necessity means accommodating mobility issues and ensuring that the building is entirely accessible and free of hazards. A wet or cluttered floor could be disastrous for mobility-impaired residents. The failure to provide an adequately safe environment for residents is one of the more common forms of nursing home negligence in Odessa, Texas.

In all of these cases, the nursing home itself—rather than the employee responsible—would be considered legally liable for the accident and should be the target of your lawsuit. Even though the accident was the fault of an employee or employees, the nursing home is responsible for screening and training staff. After training, every new hire should be aware of how to create and maintain a safe environment and avoid acting negligently. Failure to do so is ultimately where the responsibility for avoidable accidents lies. Contact an Odessa nursing home negligence attorney to discuss the nuances of liability further.

When looking for an Odessa elder abuse lawyer for a nursing home negligence case, consider that they will be up against corporate lawyers retained by the nursing home. Prioritize an attorney with experience handling cases like yours and knows how to face down such opposition. Your attorney should be knowledgeable enough about Texas tort law to understand how much compensation you deserve. He or she should also be dedicated enough to pursue it.

Carabin Shaw’s team of Odessa attorneys has extensive experience with nursing home slip and fall cases. We also have a record that shows dedication to getting our clients everything that they deserve. Contact us today at 432-620-0544 or 1-800-862-1260 to begin your financial recovery.