Utah Lawyers for Nursing Home Bed-to-Wheelchair Transfer Injuries

Transfer injuries refers to any harm individuals with mobility impairments sustain while moving from one position or mode of transportation to another. These injuries are a significant concern in nursing homes, hospitals, and assisted living facilities, where residents rely heavily on the assistance of medical workers for their mobility needs. When such injuries occur, it often raises questions about the circumstances leading to the injury and the responsibility of the facility or its staff.

At Elder Care Injury, our team of accomplished nursing home abuse and neglect attorneys can provide legal advice, guidance, and representation for victims of nursing home transfer accidents and injuries. Because we focus our entire practice on serving the needs of seniors living in nursing home facilities, we have gained substantial experience in bringing claims and lawsuits against negligence or abuse in these situations. 

Request a free consultation with our Utah nursing home injury lawyers by calling (801) 997-5019 or filling out our secure online contact form. 

Transfer Injuries in Nursing Homes

Transfer injuries can happen in various ways, making it crucial to understand their nature, causes, and the appropriate steps to take if you or a loved one experiences such an incident. For instance, transferring residents in and out of beds or wheelchairs is a common scenario where injuries occur, often leading to fractures. These situations can pose serious, even life-threatening risks.

Transfer injuries typically occur under various circumstances, such as:

• Helping a patient or resident sit up in bed.
• Assisting a patient or resident from one place to another, from a chair or bed to a wheelchair.
• Assisting a patient or resident during bath or shower times.
• Moving a patient or resident within different areas of the facility.

Transfer Injuries Due to Nursing Home Negligence

Transfer injuries can lead to injury claims and lawsuits resulting from negligence. For example, neglecting to secure wheelchair wheels during a transfer can cause patients to fall. Dropping a patient or not securing a resident properly during bathing can also lead to falls, as well as mishandling equipment like Hoyer Lifts, letting a patient slide off while moving them in or out of a chair, or allowing them to fall during dressing routines can all be forms of negligence. 

Types of Negligence in Transfer Injuries

Transfer injuries can be the result of various types of nursing home negligence. If residents frequently suffer from injuries during transfers, it may indicate that the staff is not adequately trained. Unexplained bruises or fractures might be the result of improper transfer handling. Also, sudden changes in a resident’s behavior or mobility could indicate they have suffered from a transfer injury. 

Negligence is often the result of improper or lack of staff training in safety. Medical guidelines exist for properly transferring a patient from a bed to a wheelchair. Ignorance or mistakes in applying these techniques are a common cause of injuries to residents. 

Consequences of Bed-to-Wheelchair Transfer Negligence

The consequences for frail seniors from bungled transfers can be concussion, brain injuries leading to brain bleeds, a broken or fractured hip or pelvis, arm and leg fractures, and more. Older adults often suffer from osteoporosis or weakened bones, which tend to fracture much more easily than those of younger individuals. 

The results of such injuries can traumatize seniors, also leaving them more immobile, anxious, and subject to health decline. 

Understaffing in Wheelchair Transfers

Wheelchair transfer injuries in healthcare facilities are often the result of understaffing. When nursing homes or healthcare facilities prioritize profits over patient care, they often accommodate more patients while reducing staff numbers. This strategy leads to high revenue but low overhead costs, resulting in insufficient care for high-needs residents.

Patients who depend on transfers require human assistance to move in and out of their chairs. Many patients who use wheelchairs need two staff members for safe transfers. However, nurses and aides become overworked when staffing levels are low, increasing the likelihood of mistakes. Unfortunately, if a wheelchair transfer is performed incorrectly in a nursing home, it can have devastating consequences.

Choose Utah's Trusted Nursing Home Negligence Attorneys

You must know your legal rights if a transfer injury occurs in a nursing home due to negligence. You may be eligible to bring a lawsuit against the nursing home for their role in the incident. Ensuring safe transfer procedures and practices are in place is vital to prevent such injuries and ensure the well-being of residents in these facilities.

At Elder Care Injury, our only goal is to provide skilled legal assistance to nursing home residents and their families seeking full and fair compensation for injuries they have suffered unnecessarily. Our work can also help prevent future negligence that protects all residents. 

Discuss your Utah nursing home injury claim with our dedicated attorneys by contacting us today.