Patient Fall From Bed Leads to Michigan Wrongful Death Lawsuit

Our Michigan nursing home lawyers recently filed a case against a Midland medical center arising from the death of an eighty-four year old patient.  The woman fell out of her hospital bed was found on the floor next to her bed by the nursing staff.  The fall caused her suffered a serious brain injury and she later died from the trauma caused by the fall.

The wrongful death lawsuit was filed against the medical facility for this completely preventable death.    The lawsuit suit alleges that the medical facility was negligent due to is failure to implement basic safety measures that would have prevented this death.  This includes the use of bed alarms, utilizing bed rails when the patient was not being monitored, and having a soft floor mat next to the bed to prevent serious injury in the event of a fall from bed.  

According to the Centers for Disease Control, about 1,800 nursing home patients each year die in the U.S. die from falls. In Michigan, there are more than a million adults over the age of 65.  13% of Michigan seniors report falling with the last month, and 28% within the last year, and in fact injuries relating to falling are the leading cause of accidental death in older adults over the age of 65. Health professionals should recognize that falls pose a real risk to older individuals, especially those in nursing home facilities and hospitals. It is important to work together as health care teams to combat this pressing health issue because 2/3 of  patient falls may be preventable.

The wrongful death suit against the medical facility was filed in the Midland County Circuit Court.  It seeks damages for the pain and suffering that the patient went through prior to her death.  It all seeks damages for the loss of her society and companionship that her family sustained as a result of her death.   No trial date has been set by the court.