Why Falls in Nursing Homes Are So Serious

As people age, bones become more fragile and balance can change. A fall that might cause only a bruise for a younger person can mean a hip fracture or head injury for an older adult. Many nursing home residents already have chronic health problems that make recovery harder and slower.

National health data show that falls are a major cause of injuries and hospital stays for older adults. Hip fractures, traumatic brain injuries, and internal bleeding are common results. For a nursing home resident, a bad fall can mean:

• Emergency surgery and long hospital stays
• Permanent loss of the ability to walk without help
• New or worse confusion after anesthesia or head trauma
• Increased risk of infections, bed sores, and pneumonia
• Loss of independence and need for higher levels of care

Because of this, regulators treat the rate of falls in a facility as a key sign of quality of care. When a nursing home has frequent, unexplained falls, it can point to deeper problems with staffing, training, or supervision.

When Is a Nursing Home Responsible for a Fall?

Not every fall in a nursing home is the result of negligence. Residents may fall even when staff use reasonable precautions. But Illinois and federal rules still require facilities to:

Assess each resident’s fall risk, create a written care plan, and then follow and update that plan when conditions change. Nursing homes must also provide enough trained staff and safe surroundings to carry out that plan.

A nursing home may be responsible for a fall when it:

• Never completed or updated a fall risk assessment for a resident
• Ignored obvious risks like prior falls, use of blood thinners, or confusion
• Did not follow its own care plan for assistance with walking or transfers
• Left hazards in walkways such as spills, cords, clutter, or poor lighting
• Failed to answer call lights or alarms in a reasonable time
• Understaffed shifts so severely that basic supervision was impossible

In many cases, falls are not “accidents” in the ordinary sense. They are the predictable outcome of poor systems: too few aides on duty, rushed medication passes, residents left alone on the toilet, or ignored bed and chair alarms. When that happens, the facility and its owners, not the resident, should bear responsibility.

You can learn more about who may be legally responsible on our page about who is liable for a nursing home injury.

Warning Signs That a Nursing Home Fall May Be Neglect

Families do not see every moment of care inside a nursing home. But there are warning signs that should make you question whether a facility is truly protecting your loved one from falls.

Pay attention if you notice:

• New bruises, skin tears, or bandages that staff brush off with vague answers like “they bump into things sometimes”
• Stories that do not match up about when, where, or how a fall happened, or no one seems to know what occurred
• Repeated falls in a short period of time, especially after doctors or therapists have warned the facility about fall risk
• Call lights going unanswered for long stretches while residents try to get up on their own to use the bathroom or reach items
• Strong sedating medications or sudden changes in behavior, such as increased sleepiness, confusion, or unsteady walking
• Bed or chair alarms that ring constantly without a quick staff response, or alarms that are turned off altogether

One fall may be explained. A pattern of falls or injuries without clear answers is not. If you hear that your loved one “just falls a lot” but no one can show you a specific plan to reduce those falls, that is a red flag.

Why So Many Nursing Home Falls Happen

Older adults in nursing homes often have many medical problems. They may have dementia, heart disease, diabetes, or past strokes. They may take multiple medications that affect blood pressure, balance, and alertness. All of these things make falls more likely.

But facilities know this. Federal law and the Illinois Nursing Home Care Act expect nursing homes to plan for these risks and to take practical steps to reduce them. Common causes of preventable falls include:

Poor staffing levels. When there are not enough aides on the floor, residents may wait too long for help and try to get up alone. Staff may also rush transfers, skip safety checks, or leave residents unattended in unsafe situations.

Weak or ignored care plans. A resident might be marked as “high fall risk” on paper, but staff still let them walk alone, skip physical therapy, or use unsafe footwear.

Dangerous environments. Wet floors, loose rugs, missing grab bars, low lighting, and cluttered hallways can all turn a nursing home into a maze of hidden traps for someone who uses a walker or wheelchair.

Medication problems. Multiple drugs, especially sedatives and certain blood pressure or pain medications, can cause dizziness, confusion, and low blood pressure on standing. When nursing homes do not coordinate and monitor medications carefully, residents may fall more often.

The bottom line: many falls happen because the facility failed to match reasonable safety measures to a resident’s known medical and physical limits.

What To Do After a Nursing Home Fall

After a fall, families are often told not to “worry,” or are given only short explanations. It is important to stay calm, but also to act quickly to protect your loved one’s health and legal rights.

First, make sure your loved one receives appropriate medical care. Ask whether they have been examined by a doctor, and whether imaging such as X-rays or CT scans are needed to rule out fractures or head injuries. If you are not comfortable with the facility’s response, ask that your loved one be sent to the hospital.

Next, start documenting. Write down:

• The date and time you learned about the fall
• Where staff say it happened (room, bathroom, hallway, dining area)
• Who was on duty and who told you about the fall
• What injuries you can see, such as bruises, cuts, or swelling

Take photos of visible injuries and, if allowed, of the area where the fall happened. Ask for a care conference to review your loved one’s fall risk, care plan, and any changes that will be made. You may also ask if the facility reported the fall to the Illinois Department of Public Health, as required for certain serious events.

Finally, consider speaking with a Peoria nursing home injury attorney as soon as possible. Early legal help can make it easier to preserve video, staffing schedules, and chart entries that might otherwise disappear over time.

How a Peoria Nursing Home Fall Lawyer Investigates Your Case

Nursing home fall cases are different from ordinary slip and fall claims in a store or parking lot. They involve complex medical records, federal and state regulations, and detailed care plans. An experienced attorney knows how to connect these pieces.

In a typical case, our team may:

• Obtain the full nursing home chart, including assessments, care plans, and fall risk scores
• Review hospital and clinic records before and after the fall to understand the injuries
• Analyze medication lists for drugs that increase fall risk or cause confusion
• Compare staffing schedules to what regulations and professional standards expect
• Check state inspection reports and complaint histories for similar incidents at the same facility
• Consult with nursing and medical experts about what should have been done to prevent the fall

We then look at whether the facility followed its own policies, met regulatory standards, and honored your loved one’s rights under Illinois law. In serious cases involving death, we may also pursue a wrongful death claim so the full loss to the family is recognized.

Our goal is to hold the right parties accountable, seek fair compensation, and push for changes that make the facility safer for other residents.

Frequently Asked Questions About Nursing Home Falls

Are nursing homes always at fault when a resident falls?

No. Some falls happen even when a facility follows reasonable safety steps. But nursing homes must assess fall risk,
create and follow a care plan, and keep the environment reasonably safe. When they skip those steps, ignore warning
signs, or understaff the floor, they can be held responsible for a preventable fall.

What injuries are most common after a nursing home fall?

Common injuries include hip and other bone fractures, head injuries such as concussions or brain bleeds, cuts and skin
tears, and internal bleeding. Even a “minor” fall can cause a rapid decline in an older adult’s health, especially if it leads
to less movement, pain, or fear of walking.

What if the nursing home says my loved one just “lost balance”?

Facilities often blame a resident’s age or weakness. The real question is whether staff recognized those issues and took
proper steps to help, such as using a walker, assisting with transfers, or answering call lights. A nursing home fall lawyer
can review the records to see if the story matches the chart.

What should I ask the nursing home after a fall?

Ask where and when the fall occurred, who was present, whether your loved one was supposed to have assistance at that
time, and whether the care plan is being changed. You can also ask if the fall was reported to the state and request a
care conference to talk about next steps.

How long do I have to bring a nursing home fall claim in Illinois?

Time limits apply to nursing home injury and wrongful death claims, and they can be affected by many factors. Because
these deadlines are strict, it is wise to talk with a Peoria nursing home injury attorney as soon as you suspect neglect,
rather than waiting until records or memories fade.

Will bringing a claim make life harder for my loved one in the facility?

Illinois law prohibits a licensed facility from retaliating against a resident or family for making a complaint or bringing a
legal claim. Many families also choose to move their loved one to another facility if they no longer trust the current
one. An attorney can talk with you about options and help you plan the safest path forward.