A Chicago resident recently filed a lawsuit against his nursing home, alleging that their neglect led to his serious wheelchair accident.

The plaintiff, Timothy B., alleges that he was injured in a wheelchair accident after Central Nursing Home employees attempted to repair the wheelchair—which had wheels that did not lock properly—with just paper medical tape. As Timothy attempted to stand up, the wheelchair failed to lock, causing him to fall and injure himself.

Indeed, the lawsuit notes Timothy’s numerous injuries, including fractured right femur and dislocated hip, as well as bruising, scarring, and physical impairment. On top of the physical injuries, the wheelchair accident has also incurred medical expenses. Unfortunately, elder injuries like these happen often inside nursing homes.

According to the lawsuit, the wheelchair accident would not have happened had the proper care and maintenance been taken with the wheelchair. The lawsuit alleges that Central Nursing Home carelessly and negligently provided the wheelchair when it was incapable of properly locking, failed to properly inspect the wheelchair, failed to warn the plaintiff of the wheelchair’s dangers, and more.

The lawsuit was filed on Aug. 15, 2018, in the Circuit Court of Cook County, Illinois.

Nursing Home Neglect

This is not the first lawsuit to be filed over nursing home neglect—or even abuse. Nursing home neglect has become a serious problem in the United States. A growing number of families of elders are choosing to file lawsuits after they discover that their loved one has been the victim of nursing home neglect.

Millions of Americans over the age of 60 are neglected or otherwise abused at nursing home and other facilities. Given that a huge amount of elder abuse cases never get reported to the authorities, the exact numbers aren’t known.

Signs of Nursing Home Neglect

One of the most prominent signs of nursing home neglect is declining health or physical suffering. This is because elder neglect can often lead to physical injuries or medical issues when they are not properly and consistently cared for. For instance, a nursing home fall injury could indicate that a facility is not giving adequate care. Other injuries caused by nursing home neglect can often include bed sores, pressure sores, fractures, malnutrition, dehydration, and frequent urinary tract infections (UTIs).

Filing a Nursing Home Neglect Lawsuit

If you or someone you love has been harmed through negligence such as a nursing home fall injury, you may be able to file a nursing home neglect lawsuit. Nursing home neglect can be anything from a wheelchair accident caused by negligent repair to nursing home employees failing to see to the needs of patients, or even to drugging patients with non-prescribed medications to keep them sedated.

It can be difficult to figure out what to do in response to these serious issues, and consulting a lawyer with experience in this area can help litigation to succeed.

The Nursing Home Wheelchair Accident Lawsuit is Case No. 2018LOO8849, in the Circuit Court of Cook County, Illinois.