Washington DC Nursing Home Wheelchair Accidents Lawyer

Many people who are forced to live in Washington DC nursing homes rely upon wheelchairs for mobility. Whether this is a result of a complete inability to walk on their own or because a wheelchair simply offers greater mobility, one cannot visit any nursing home without seeing dozens of these medical devices.

While generally well designed and maintained, it is still a common event for a resident to suffer an accident while using a wheelchair. Nursing homes have a duty to protect their residents from all foreseeable accidental injuries. A patient falling victim to a wheelchair injury could certainly qualify under these criteria.

A Washington DC nursing home wheelchair accidents lawyer could help individuals who have been injured in wheelchair accidents while a resident in a Washington DC nursing home. Skilled attorneys work to gather evidence of how the accident occurred, to place that evidence within the framework of negligence, and to demand appropriate compensation for their clients’ losses.

Ways that a Wheelchair Accident Could Occur

Many residents in Washington DC nursing homes use wheelchairs to move around the facility. Nursing homes are certainly aware of this and as a result should ensure that all corridors and common areas are optimized for wheelchair travel. If a nursing home fails to take these steps, an accident may occur that results in serious physical injuries.

Typical examples of proper wheelchair use in nursing homes include:

  • Ensuring that all corridors are free from obstructions or slick spots
  • Providing proper training to staff on how to move residents in a wheelchair and how to place those residents into the device
  • Taking steps to ensure that a resident’s wheelchair in good repair

A lapse in any of these duties could result in an accident. Moving a wheelchair over a slick surface could cause the rider to lose control and to crash into walls or tip over. Not properly training staff on how to use the devices could result in injuries upon getting into the chair or even forgetting to engage brakes when not in motion. Finally, not repairing a broken device could cause wheels to improperly function or brakes to fail.

A Washington DC nursing home wheelchair accidents lawyer could help clients to examine the facts that led to the injury and to place blame on a nursing home.

Proving a Wheelchair Accident Case in Court

Most wheelchair injuries are the result of accidents. The nursing home or their staff certainly did not intend that a resident suffered an injury. Still, the law in Washington DC states that nursing homes have a duty to protect their patients from even accidental harm.

This concept forms the core of the legal cause of action known as negligence. In a negligence case, a plaintiff must prove that the defendant owed them a duty of care and that a failure to uphold this duty resulted in an injury. For example, all nursing homes have a duty to protect their residents from foreseeable accidental harm. If an injury occurs after a staff member fails to engage the brakes on a chair and the chair rolls down a corridor, that nursing home is likely liable for any injury that results.

In addition to proving that the nursing home was negligent, a plaintiff must also be sure to meet Washington DC’s statute of limitations for personal injury cases. According to DC Code §12-301, plaintiffs must submit a complaint to a court no more than three years from the date of the accident.

Reach Out to a DC Nursing Home Wheelchair Accidents Attorney Today

Accidents that occur in Washington DC’s nursing homes are sadly common. Even devices meant to increase patient safety and mobility such as wheelchairs can cause injuries if staff do not use them properly. A failure to maintain these devices or even a simple lack of attentiveness could lead to incidents that inflict severe injuries on residents.

A Washington DC nursing home wheelchair accidents lawyer could help injured patients to understand their rights, the obligations of nursing homes, and how to frame the facts of their case into a lawsuit. These suits can demand not just the payment of medical bills but also compensation for pain and suffering. Contact an attorney today to discuss your case.