The fall is the starting point
A broken hip, head injury, or repeated fall may raise questions about supervision, transfers, toileting, mobility, and the surrounding environment. The same precautions will not suit every resident. A useful review asks what the facility knew about this person’s limitations and what changed before the incident. A fall during an assisted transfer calls for a different investigation from a resident leaving bed without help.
What Noah investigates
Noah reconstructs the events before and after the fall. He reviews earlier incidents, therapy recommendations, medication changes, and requests for assistance. He asks whether the care plan was updated and communicated to the people responsible for carrying it out. The response after a fall also matters, including assessment, physician notification, and the timing of a transfer for further evaluation.
Evidence that can help answer the questions
Depending on the circumstances, the review may include:
- Fall-risk assessments, care plans, and prior incident records
- Transfer instructions, therapy notes, and equipment information
- Call-bell records, staffing assignments, and available video
- Emergency department records and family observations
Preserve originals and the dates associated with them. Do not edit messages, discard attachments, or assume that a short discharge summary contains the complete record.
Common questions
Is the nursing home responsible for every fall?
No. A claim depends on whether inadequate precautions or care caused injury. The resident’s needs and the information available to staff are central to that assessment.
What if my relative fell more than once?
Earlier incidents may show that the facility needed to reassess the plan. Preserve dates and details of every fall, even if an earlier incident did not result in hospitalization.
Start with the facts you have
A brief timeline can help identify the records needed for a meaningful review. Note the facility’s name, the resident’s dates of care, when the problem appeared, and what happened next. Preserve original photographs and messages, and keep copies of records already available to you. Noah can evaluate the responsible parties, the need for medical expert review, and applicable deadlines. You do not need to obtain every record before making an initial inquiry.
Read more about this issue
Can You Sue a New York Nursing Home After a Resident Falls? ↗
Related areas of Noah’s expertise
General information, not legal advice. Whether a claim can proceed depends on its facts and applicable law. Contacting Noah does not by itself establish a lawyer-client relationship.