Patients Dropped at Nursing Home

A number of residents at a nursing home are not able to move between locations by themselves, and need the nursing home staff assistance to achieve these moves.

It can be a chore for them just to get out of bed to a wheelchair, and necessitates for someone else to lift them to their chair safely.

Many nursing homes stipulate protocols on how to transfer the patients properly. However, these procedures, too often, are not adhered to, and patients dropped at nursing home become problematic.

Facility staff may claim that the incident was unpreventable, or that it simple did not happen. However, you can be confident that an attorney can assist you to answer questions regarding why and how a circumstance occurred.

Patients dropped at nursing home occur in often during a routine transfer between different areas.

Most of these patients have restriction in mobility, and may require a wheelchair. The drop will occur when the patients are transferred out of or into the chair. 


Typical kinds of transfers are using the toilet; from wheelchair to bath or shower; from one chair to the other; from wheelchair to bed (or visa versa); and Hoyer Lift falls.

These circumstances occur within the day, and many nursing homes stipulate rules related to these transfers.

Depending on the weight or mobility of the patient, two or more members of staff may need to be available for any transfers, and at times need to use a mechanical lift.

Injuries can occur with patients dropped at nursing home. This can become catastrophic.

The patient, many times, is elevated when the fall happens, and is not able due to a weakened condition to break the fall. 


Directly on top of his or her tailbone or hip, the patient may take a spill; he or she may be positioned awkwardly during the fall.

Several injuries that occur during these circumstances are the following: traumatic brain injury; damage to the internal organs; a fracture in facial bones, hips, arms, legs, etc.; and death.

The leading cause of injury and death are falls in patients over 65 years of age; every year, one out of three take a fall.

Those living in nursing homes, however, become more susceptible to these falls; annually, about three falls occur per patient.

In the elderly, these falls account for nearly 90% of fractures.

Many times when a patient in a nursing home is dropped, it is not due to abuse, but because of not adhering to protocol or bad judgment in the plan of care of the patient.

It is not always merely the members of staff, however, at fault. 


The majority of these nursing homes become shockingly understaffed, with poor training for employees.

Poorly maintained equipment or lack of equipment, as well, necessary for secure transfers can be an issue.

In other situations, Hoyer Lifts commonly used may not be maintained properly or replaced when necessary to place patients at serious risk for injury.

Contact us for a free consultation or call Anzalone Law Firm PLLC, at: 603.548.3797.