Knoxville Hip Fracture Attorney

Hips fractures are a common injury as people age. However, they are also one of the most serious injuries. Any broken bone could take much longer to heal, and the hip is a very complex joint susceptible to pain. Injuries often degenerate in the elderly, who might never walk again after a hip fracture.

If you or a loved one was injured in a nursing home accident, contact our Knoxville hip fracture attorney for a free case evaluation. Nursing home abuse or neglect could be to blame.

Types of Hip Fractures

Senior citizens typically suffer one of two fractures:

Femoral fracture. The femur is the long thigh bone which joins the ball and socket joint. A femoral neck fracture happens just below the joint at a narrow part of the femur. This type of fracture has many complications. The broken bone could slice veins, leading to bleeding and ultimately bone loss.

Intertrochanteric fracture. The intertrochanteric area is located between the two bumps at the top of the thigh bone, just below the femoral neck. Any fracture in this area is disabling.

Many patients suffering a hip fracture need surgery to insert a screw or plate or, sometimes, a full hip replacement. Surgery carries many risks for seniors, especially complications related to anesthesia.

How Nursing Homes Contribute to Hip Fractures

Nursing homes must provide a safe environment for those in their care. Unfortunately, many hazards go unaddressed because the staff is negligent. In our experience, senior citizens have fallen and broken their hips because of:

Debris or litter in the aisle or rooms
Cracked tiles
Slippery floors
Uneven floorboards or mats which cause residents to stub their toe
Cables crossing the floor
Lack of supervision, which allows residents to wander

Some residents should not be walking, either because of illness or imbalance. However, staff fail to prevent them, and they fall or even break their hip while standing. Nursing homes that do not properly supervise residents have been negligent.

In extreme cases, nursing home abuse can contribute to a hip fracture. Staff might push or trip residents or intentionally let them wander in the hopes they fall.

Compensation for a Hip Fracture

If we can show a nursing home did not fulfill its duty of care, we can obtain compensation to cover all medical bills, lost income, pain and suffering, and other losses. If staff intentionally harmed a resident, we might seek punitive damages as a form of punishment.

Nursing homes have access to large legal teams to fight off claims. For this reason, you will be at a competitive disadvantage if you try to negotiate a settlement yourself. Nursing homes rarely admit liability and fear negative press coverage, so do not be surprised if they try to blame your loved one for his or her own fall.