Virginia Nursing Home Bed Rail Entrapment Lawyer
If your loved one has sustained an injury due to the use of bed rails in a nursing home, you may be wondering what the nursing home staff could have done differently. Bed rails can be hazardous for older adults because of the risk of bed rail entrapment. Accordingly, nursing home physicians and staff should take the proper steps and precautions necessary when using bed rails in the course of a patient’s care.
A nursing home abuse attorney may be able to assist you if you believe that the negligent actions of nursing home staff caused your loved one to sustain an injury from bed rail entrapment. Contact a Virginia nursing home bed rail entrapment lawyer today for detailed information on this issue.
Bed Rail Entrapment in Nursing Homes
Between 1985 and 2009, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration received reports of 803 bed rail entrapment incidents. In many cases, these incidents resulted in injuries and even death.
The use of bed rails could potentially be beneficial to nursing home patients, under the appropriate circumstances. Bed rails can be used for gripping, as patients reposition themselves in their beds. Bed rails can also provide a barrier to prevent falls. However, the risks may outweigh the potential benefits in some cases.
Bed rail entrapment occurs when a patient becomes trapped in a gap or space between the mattress and the rail. Entrapment can occur as a patient rolls over or attempts to climb out of the bed. If the mattress is not the proper size, there may be a gap between the mattress and the rail in which a patient can get caught.
Serious injuries can result from bed rail entrapment. In some cases, the patient’s head or neck is stuck between the mattress and the rail. The following injuries can occur:
- Strangulation
- Suffocation
- Bruises and cuts
Bed rails should not be used as a substitute for proper monitoring and care. A nursing home bed rail entrapment lawyer in Virginia may be able to assist individuals in investigating an incident involving bed rail entrapment and assessing their medical malpractice claim.
Evaluating a Bed Rail Entrapment Claim
In cases involving the alleged negligence of medical professionals, a key consideration is the standard of care. If a medical professional deviates from the standard of care, and injuries occur due to this deviation, they could be held liable for damages.
A medical expert can potentially provide an opinion regarding nursing home staff’s deviation from the standard of care in a case involving bed rail entrapment. This medical opinion may take into account the patient’s medical history and the risks that the use of bed rails posed to the particular patient.
The risk of bed rail entrapment may be higher for some patients than others. Particularly frail, thin, and disoriented patients may be more susceptible to bed rail entrapment. Treatment plans should consider patients’ needs and risk factors.
A nursing home bed rail entrapment attorney may be able to assist individuals in determining if the nursing home and nursing home staff can be held liable for damages.
How a Virginia Nursing Home Bed Rail Entrapment Attorney Can Help
Nursing home staff may be overworked and fatigued, due to understaffing. Nevertheless, these health care professionals must be held to a certain standard in the care that they provide. If your loved one has sustained an injury in an incident involving bed rail entrapment, you should not hesitate to call a Virginia nursing home bed rail entrapment lawyer for assistance today.
