When many people think of nursing home injuries, they think of cases of negligence or medical abuse or slip and fall accidents. While all of these tend to be more common types of nursing home abuse and neglect cases in Hollywood and South Florida, there is a type of nursing home injury that does not get enough attention: car accidents.
Many families don’t consider this when placing loved ones in care, but car accidents are a risk nursing home patients face. Nursing homes may need to transport patients to doctor’s appointments or may be taking them to special events. In addition, nursing home properties can sometimes be the site of crashes if a car from a busy street veers out of control and crashes into the building. Some facilities allow residents to walk on the grounds or even leave the grounds to go to nearby stores. If careful attention to safety is not paid, patients may be in a pedestrian accident when they walk away from the property.
Nursing home residents may be especially vulnerable to collisions and injuries. If they have pre-existing conditions, patients may have a hard time recovering fully from a car crash and may be more seriously injured because they are already vulnerable. They may not have the mobility to move away to minimize the impact. In addition, nursing home residents may need cars with special restraint systems or special systems to account for wheelchairs, walkers, difficulties getting in and out of cars, and other challenges. Drivers need training to ensure elderly residents get the right support during transport and the right level of supervision and care for their condition.
Families considering a nursing home for an elderly loved one may wish to ask several questions to determine car safety:
- Does the nursing home have its own transportation services or does it contract them out?
- Who are the drivers?
- How are drivers screened?
- Does the nursing home own or have access to an accessible vehicle with the right safety equipment?
- Do drivers get training in helping patients with medical conditions get safely on and off the bus?
- What processes does the nursing home facility have to get patients back home safely?
- What precautions are taken to prevent residents from wandering off the property?
- Is there safe fencing between the nursing home and any busy streets nearby?
- Has the nursing home experienced car crashes in years past?
If there has been a car accident affecting you or an elderly loved one at a nursing home, seek answers by contacting a car accident injury attorney in Hollywood or your community. The nursing home may dismiss the collision as an “accident,” but in reality the injury may have been preventable and may have been caused by negligence. If this is the case, seeking compensation can help you pay for quality medical care and other supportive services for you or your family member.
If you would like to speak to a professional and caring Hollywood nursing home car accident attorney, contact Flaxman Law Group. Our legal team has dedicated themselves to helping those who have injured and we’re pleased to offer a free, no obligation consultation to those who have suffered a serious injury at any nursing home in South Florida.