Illinois Nursing Homes Fall Case Settlements & Verdicts (Case Valuation)

Illinois Nursing Home Fall Case ValuationAttorneys at Nursing Home Law News have successfully settled many nursing home fall cases across Illinois. Many of these happened out of nowhere but some were easier to predict and could have been prevented.

They all take a significant toll on the victims. In fact, some even lead to the death of the nursing home resident. This leaves a tremendous hole in the family that they leave behind.

Our law firm is dedicated to standing up for nursing home residents. We don’t work for nursing homes, doctors, or similar companies in any capacity.

Why are Some Illinois Nursing Home Fall Cases Worth More Than Others?

When you look at the list of jury awards and settlement agreements that follow, you will probably wonder why a certain plaintiff got more than another plaintiff. It can get confusing because I’m sure a lot of the incidents start to sound the same. However, while they might mirror each other, they do have distinguishing factors that can explain why a particular nursing home victim got more than another in a particular case including some of the following:

  • How badly did the resident get hurt?
  • Did the victim require extensive medical treatment (and hospital bills) after the accident?
  • Has the nursing home done something similar to other residents in the past?
  • Has the state fined or cited the nursing home for similar behavior?
  • Did the incident cause the resident a lot of travel expenses, lost income or other damage?
  • How long was resident likely to live?
  • Did the nursing home have insurance?

Illinois Nursing Home Fall Verdicts and Settlements

$842,801 Verdict

Cook County, Illinois nursing home fall case.

The plaintiff in this case was an 80-year-old female nursing home resident.

Over the span of a few years, she fell four on four separate occasions. The nursing home didn’t conduct an initial risk assessment test or provide any risk prevention management after each successive fall.

Due to the accidents, she sustained exaggerating injuries including pressure sores and broken bones. Here are some key points that explain the jury award that she received:

  • The nursing home never conducted an initial assessment test to determine her risk for falls.
  • The victim fell on a number of occasions.
  • The staff never took preventative measures after each fall.
  • The victim sustained multiple and significant injuries due to the falls.

$138,000 Settlement

St. Clair County, Illinois nursing home fall case.

The victim in this incident was an elderly man who was recently admitted to the nursing home in question for care related to Alzheimer’s and heart problems.

On the first day of his stay at that institution, he fell in the home’s cafeteria. He broke his hip and sustained pressure sores during his treatment for that injury. Here are some insights into why he got the settlement that he did:

  • The man was already suffering from Alzheimer’s and was walking around at the time of the incident making it seem less the fault of the nursing home.
  • The case settled prior going to trial.
  • There was only one fall.
  • His injuries and expenses were fairly isolated and identifiable (he racked up about $70,000 in medical bills due to the incident).
  • The victim died from unrelated causes before trial; therefore; the estate could not make a sizeable claim for intangible damages like pain and suffering or loss of normal life.
  • The plaintiff used the theory of res ipsa loquitur which means that something doesn’t happen without negligence. This claim was successful despite a lot of evidence of what actually happened or what the circumstances of her falls actually were.
  • The amount they awarded for each fall increased as they kept happening.
  • The jury distinguished the award for three separate falls-not one award for all three.

$455,000 Verdict:

Cook County, Illinois nursing home fall case.

The victim in this case passed away before the trial finished but her estate still continued on her behalf.

While residing at a nursing home, she fell on three separate occasions. Her lawyers argued that the facility’s prevention systems and policies were deficient and that it did not give her sufficient care. On the other hand, the defendant nursing home argued that this was false and that the plaintiff had not affirmatively shown the defendant’s negligence.

The jury disagreed and awarded the estate $455,000.

$1,012,000 Verdict:

Cook County, Illinois nursing home fall case.

In this dispute, lawyers for the nursing home victim (a woman in her late sixties) claimed that she died because of the negligent care of the facilities.

In particular, during a transfer, she fell, broke her hip, and sustained an infection which eventually led to her death. The jury found in her favor for over $1,000,000 for pain and suffering, medical bills, compensatory damages, and other relief.

Here are some clues that may explain the size of her award:

  • This was a wrongful death case for a relatively young woman.
  • There was little evidence of risk prevention, supervision, or other policies or procedures to prevent the incident.
  • There were very little other causes that the defendant could describe to explain the death.
  • The defendant did not spot or stop the rise and spread of the infection.

$545,000 Verdict

Cook County, Illinois nursing home fall case.

In this lawsuit, lawyers brought an action after an elderly passed away from injuries he sustained from falling out of a wheelchair.

Apparently, upon being admitted to the nursing home, he was a deemed a high risk for falls. However, he was not given sufficient attention and fell one day from his chair. He sustained a head injury, hematoma, and other wounds. He eventually died.

His estate brought an action for damages and alleged the nursing home’s deficient care caused his death. The jury agreed and awarded it $545,000 in damages for disability, disfigurement, pain, suffering, loss of society, and expenses.

Remember these things about the case:

  • While this action was for negligence and wrongful death, they awarded only about 20% for the latter cause of action probably because of the decedent’s old age.
  • The defendant could not point to any safeguards in place at the time of the incident such as policies enforced.
  • Though this was just a one-time incident, the fact that the facility itself marked the victim as a high risk for falls severely limited its ability to defend its actions in court.

Contact an Experienced Nursing Home Law Firm to Maximize the Value of Your Illinois Fall Case

We bring in each member of our experienced team when we review nursing home cases like those for falls. We have an extensive group of attorneys, legal assistance, and medical experts. Each of us studiously reviews each incident to figure out why it happened and how the victim can best be compensated to live a more fruitful life.

If you or somebody that you know was hurt in a nursing home in Illinois, we would love to meet with you and understand what happened. Your injury is unique and deserves attention.

Our law firm can fight for you and bring in all the resources and zeal that your suit demands. Plus, we don’t charge for our services unless you’re happy with the outcome. Begin the process now by completing our case intake form or by calling our office.

Contact our group of Illinois nursing home attorneys at Nursing Home Law News for assistance with your incident.

Visit our Illinois nursing home law and regulation page here for additional information.

If you are looking for information on local facility or an attorney to help, please see the pages below for more information.

For information on other types of Illinois nursing home settlements, look at the pages below:

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
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