Broken Hip in Nursing Home

Hip fractures are the second leading cause of hospitalization in the US. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), over 300,000 adults aged 65 and above visit hospitals annually for broken hips. The total direct cost to Medicare is more than $665 million annually.

Broken hips in nursing homes are associated with a significant risk of morbidity and mortality. Nursing home residents can suffer broken hips from falls, leading to significant injury or death.

Did you or a loved one suffer a broken hip due to the negligence of a nursing home? If so, the personal injury attorneys at Nursing Home Law Center, LLC, can help.

Call our nursing home abuse lawyers at (800) 926-7565 or use the contact form to schedule a free consultation.

What Is a Hip Fracture?

A hip fracture is a partial or complete break of the thigh bone (femur) in the area where it meets the pelvic bone. This severe injury often requires a hip replacement, surgical repair, and physical therapy.

Types Of Hip Fractures

There are two major types of broken hips or hip fractures:
  • Femoral Neck Fracture: This hip fracture occurs one to two inches from the ball and socket joint at the pelvis.
  • Intertrochanteric Hip Fracture: This fracture occurs three to four inches from the hip joint. It does not disrupt circulation to the bone and may be easier to treat

Regardless of the type, a person with a broken hip may need to undergo surgery, with risk factors such as the victim's age and general health influencing the success of the surgery.

 Elderly Person Fracture

Complications of Hip Fractures

Significant factors in hip fracture complications in senior citizens include -

  • Severe pain
  • Blood clots
  • Pneumonia
  • Postoperative infections
  • Bedsores or pressure ulcers
  • Muscle atrophy
  • Nonunion or delayed union: When a broken bone does not heal or mend properly after a hip surgery.
  • Mental deterioration
  • Femoral avascular necrosis
  • Death: A fractured hip can lead to sudden death, with greater risk among elderly people

Why Are Broken Hips in Nursing Homes So Dangerous?

If an elderly patient suffers a hip fracture, they are susceptible to significant health consequences due to:

  • Reduced physical health and bone density
  • Impaired immune function
  • Comorbidities (other existing medical conditions)
  • Limited physical movement

Hence, elderly individuals have a higher risk of infections, blood clots, bedsores, poor bone healing, and other complications.

One in three nursing home residents dies within six months after a broken hip, and one in every two male residents will die within the same time period.

Causes Of Broken Hips Among Nursing Home Residents

Nursing homes are legally responsible for implementing safety measures to mitigate fall risk and environmental hazards to prevent falls and injuries.

Slip-And-Fall-Accidents

Slip-and-fall accidents cause most broken hips in nursing homes. Usually, these accidents result from nursing home negligence by nursing home staff. Studies have shown most fractured hips in patients 65 years or older are due to falls or dropping incidents, not the natural aging process.

Malnutrition And Dehydration

Poor nutrition and hydration can lead to muscle weakness, affecting balance, coordination, and alertness. These health consequences increase the risk of injuries suffered and accidents that can lead to broken hips, traumatic brain injury, and other serious injuries.

A lack of vitamin D and calcium also increases the risk of a hip fracture after a fall.

Physical Abuse

Many nursing home injuries in the United States occur due to physical abuse. It is any act that causes physical pain or injury to a resident, including kicking, pushing, slapping, and pinching. The resulting harm can cause broken bones and increase the risk of a hip fracture by weakening the patient and reducing their physical functions.

Apart from directly leading to fractured hips, such as when a staff member pushes an elderly resident to the ground, other broken bones can be suffered in the arms and wrists.

Nursing homes must also mitigate the risk of resident-to-resident altercations. These incidents are common in nursing homes but sometimes are unaddressed. Senior A nursing home resident can easily cause a hip fracture in another by assaulting them, even if it is just a light shove.

Elderly Person Falling Orthopedic Walker

What to Do if You or A Loved One Suffer Hip Fractures In A Nursing Home

Care facility residents can sustain hip fractures or broken hips due to fall hazards, improper care, and other hazards in the facility. Preventable trip hazards are considered nursing home neglect through negligent staff members, and victims may be entitled to financial compensation.

In filing a personal injury claim against a nursing home, negligence must be proven by verifying the following:

  • The defendant owed a legal duty to you
  • The defendant breached this duty
  • The breach caused the accident
  • The accident directly led to your damages

Claimable Damages

By filing a nursing home abuse claim, you could recover financial compensation up to a six-figure range for the following losses:

  • Medical bills: Compensation for hip fracture surgery, hospitalization, medication, physical therapy, and other health care costs
  • Disability: Compensation for disability-related losses caused by a broken hip, including loss of quality of life, mobility aids, rehabilitation therapy, etc.
  • Loss of quality of life: Compensation for reduced independence, increased fear of falling, and other life-limiting conditions caused by a broken hip
  • Pain and suffering: Compensation for physical and emotional injuries resulting from your hip fracture
  • Wrongful death: Compensation for death-related damages if your loved one dies from a broken hip, including funeral and burial costs, pre-death medical treatment, grief therapy for surviving family members, etc.

Evidence to Collect

When filing a nursing home hip fracture claim, you can prove the liability of the nursing home resident or defendant by the following -

Get Full Compensation for Hip Fracture Cases.

Talk To a Nursing Home Hip Fracture Attorney Today

Thousands of residents suffer broken hips due to improper care and negligence of nursing homes.

Did you or a family member sustain a broken hip due to a negligent nursing home or assisted living facility? If so, you can seek compensation against whoever caused this preventable injury.

The nursing home abuse lawyers at Nursing Home Law Center, LLC, can give you the legal assistance you need. Contact our nursing home abuse attorneys at (800) 926-7565 or use the contact form for a free consultation.

All confidential or sensitive information you share with our law firm will remain private under an attorney-client relationship.

We handle all nursing home broken hip cases on a contingency fee basis. This agreement ensures you don't have to pay legal fees unless we win your case.

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Client Reviews

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Jonathan did a great job helping my family navigate through a lengthy lawsuit involving my grandmother's death in a nursing home. Through every step of the case, Jonathan kept my family informed of the progression of the case. Although our case eventually settled at a mediation, I really was impressed at how well prepared Jonathan was to take the case to trial. Lisa
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After I read Jonathan’s Nursing Home Blog, I decided to hire him to look into my wife’s treatment at a local nursing home. Jonathan did a great job explaining the process and the laws that apply to nursing homes. I immediately felt at ease and was glad to have him on my side. Though the lawsuit process was at times frustrating, Jonathan reassured me, particularly at my deposition. I really felt like Jonathan cared about my wife’s best interests, and I think that came across to the lawyers for the nursing home. Eric