Falls in Nursing Homes: Are They Always an Accident?

Falls happen. Especially as the people we love get older. But in a nursing home, where staff are trained and paid to keep residents safe, a fall should never be brushed off as “just one of those things.” Sometimes, it’s an unavoidable accident. Other times, it’s the result of negligence, and that’s when families need to act. 

When you put your loved one in a nursing home, you expect them to be kept safe. When they are injured due to negligence, you deserve justice. A fall isn’t always an accident, and our nursing home abuse lawyers can help you find the liable parties and hold them accountable. 

Common Nursing Home Fall Injuries 

When an older adult falls, the consequences can be devastating. Fragile bones, slower healing, and preexisting health issues can turn a single misstep into a life-changing event. These events are not to be taken lightly, as they can cause catastrophic injuries that alter a person’s life. 

When residents fall in a nursing home, they can suffer from many different types of injuries, including: 

• Hip fractures 
• Concussions and traumatic brain injuries 
• Spinal cord injuries 
• Broken wrists, arms, or shoulders 
• Severe bruising and internal bleeding

For some nursing home residents, a fall can trigger a downward spiral in health, leading to loss of independence. In the most severe cases, they can lead to wrongful death. 

How Do Nursing Home Falls Happen? The Answer is Usually Negligence 

Falls can happen for many reasons, but in a nursing home, many of these reasons are preventable. While some falls truly are accidents, many happen because basic safety procedures aren’t being followed. Why and how do falls happen in nursing homes? The causes are often the result of: 

Understaffing 

When a nursing home doesn’t have enough caregivers on duty, residents inevitably receive less attention and assistance. This lack of supervision greatly increases the risk of falls, particularly for residents who cannot safely move on their own. Understaffing is a chronic issue in many facilities, often driven by cost-cutting, and it can lead to dangerous neglect. 

Poor Training 

Caregivers who don’t know the proper techniques for lifting, transferring, or assisting a resident can cause sudden loss of balance or even drop the person they’re trying to help. Safe patient handling requires specialized skills — from using transfer belts to recognizing signs of instability. Without those skills, the likelihood of injury rises sharply. 

Unsafe Environments 

The physical condition of the nursing home itself plays a major role in resident safety. Wet floors from spills or mopping can be slipping hazards. Dim lighting in hallways or bathrooms makes it harder for residents to see obstacles in their path. Cluttered walkways filled with equipment, laundry bins, or furniture create tripping hazards. Each of these environmental risks is preventable with proper maintenance and attention, yet they’re still a leading cause of falls in long-term care facilities. 

Faulty or Missing Equipment 

Residents rely on equipment like bed rails, grab bars, walkers, and wheelchairs to stay safe. When these items are broken, missing, or improperly installed, they become accidents waiting to happen. A missing grab bar in the bathroom might cause a resident to lose their balance getting in or out of the shower. A faulty bed rail could collapse, leading to a dangerous fall to the floor. Nursing homes must inspect and repair safety equipment regularly, and failure to do so can be a form of negligence. 

Medication Side Effects 

Many drugs can cause dizziness, drowsiness, or confusion. Drugs that lower blood pressure, sedatives, or certain pain medications can impair balance and coordination, making falls more likely. Staff should be aware of these risks and take precautions, such as providing extra assistance during periods when side effects are most pronounced. Ignoring these dangers puts vulnerable residents in harm’s way. 

Failure to Monitor High-Risk Residents 

Some residents are known to be at high risk for falls because of their medical history, physical condition, or previous incidents. These individuals require closer supervision, tailored care plans, and preventive measures like bed alarms or more frequent check-ins. When a nursing home fails to implement or follow these precautions, it’s a serious lapse in care that can lead directly to injury. 

The Rights of Nursing Home Residents 

Federal and state laws give nursing home residents clear rights. In New York, residents have the right to: 

•  Live in a safe, clean, and comfortable environment 
•  Receive adequate and appropriate medical care 
•  Be free from abuse and neglect 
•  Have their physical, emotional, and social needs met 

Nursing homes also have specific responsibilities under the law: 

•  Providing enough trained staff to care for residents 
•  Maintaining safe facilities 
•  Creating and following individualized care plans 
•  Preventing avoidable accidents, including falls  

Signs of Physical Negligence in a Nursing Home 

Not every injury is obvious, and it’s always a good idea to keep an eye out for signs of injury and abuse when it comes to your loved ones. If you suspect a fall was due to negligence, look for warning signs that include: 

•  Unexplained bruises or fractures 
•  An unclear story about how the fall happened 
•  A pattern of repeated falls 
•  Wet floors or tripping hazards in hallways and rooms 
•  Residents left alone in unsafe situations (e.g., trying to get out of bed without help) 
•  Sudden changes in a loved one’s behavior, like fearfulness, withdrawal, or confusion 

 If you see any of these, it’s time to ask hard questions. 

You Can Report Suspected Negligence 

If you believe your loved one is experiencing neglect or abuse in a nursing home, you can report your concerns. Before going to outside agencies, bring your concerns directly to the nursing home’s management. Ask for an explanation in writing and keep a record of your conversation. While this won’t always fix the problem, it keeps documentation of important evidence you may need to use later.. 

In New York, you can report suspected neglect to the Department of Health’s Nursing Home Complaint hotline at 1-888-201-4563 or file a complaint online. They have the authority to investigate and take corrective action. 

Protecting Your Loved One Starts Now 

Falls aren’t always just accidents. In many cases, they’re the predictable result of poor care, unsafe environments, or staff indifference. And when a nursing home’s negligence harms someone you love, they should be held accountable. 

At Morelli Law Firm, we have decades of experience fighting for families whose loved ones were injured in nursing homes. We know how to uncover and fight for the truth, even when facilities try to hide it. We’ve helped clients recover the compensation they deserve. 

If your parent, spouse, or relative has been injured in a nursing home fall, don’t accept vague explanations or empty apologies. You have the right to know exactly what happened. Call our legal team today for a free, confidential consultation.