Here in the United States, millions of senior citizens live in nursing homes or assisted living facilities. Placing your loved one into professional care can be an incredibly difficult decision, and once that decision is made, you are putting your trust and faith into the hands of the facility’s staff. Unfortunately, that trust is not always rewarded. Today, falls are the leading cause of serious injury among elderly Americans. In many instances, falls are caused by the negligence of the nursing home staff. If your loved one suffers an injury, it is time to seek out the assistance of a legal professional.

Alarming Fall Statistics

Every year, more than three million elderly Americans suffer fall injuries that ultimately require emergency department visits. In approximately 20% of all fall incidents, the impact results in significant injury. For senior citizens, the physical ramifications of a fall can be life-changing. More than 300,000 elderly Americans suffer broken hips each year. Upwards of 95% of all broken hips are caused by falls.

Tragically, a fall injury can also cause brain or spinal damage. Falls are also the leading cause of traumatic brain injuries. After suffering brain trauma, a person can face symptoms ranging from severe headaches to declines in cognitive ability.

When a family makes the decision to put an elderly loved one into a nursing home facility, they are putting their complete trust into the facility and its employees. Unfortunately, many nursing home employees take advantage of this trust by abusing or negligently caring for their vulnerable patients. Abuse of the elderly can come in various forms, ranging from physical violence and sexual misconduct to emotional abuse and failure to properly care. If your elderly loved one has been abused, it is time to seek out the assistance of a trained legal professional.

The Impacts of Abuse

Here in the United States, nursing home abuse is far more common than any of us would like to assume. Approximately one in ten elderly Americans have faced some sort of abuse. According to statistics compiled by the National Council on Aging (NCOA), as many as 5 million Americans over the age of 60, are abused each year. Physical abuse can lead to broken bones, internal bleeding, and other life-threatening symptoms, for elderly people that are already physically vulnerable.

Negligent care is not always talked about as a form of elderly abuse, but in all reality, the impacts of reckless medical treatment can be devastating. Failure to care can come in the form of failing to regularly move an immobile resident, failing to regularly provide meals, and not assisting the patient in bathing or other actions needed to maintain personal hygiene. From bed sores and unusual weight loss to poor personal cleanliness, nursing home negligence should be taken incredibly seriously.

Every year, thousands of American children are severely injured in accidents of various kinds. Regardless of how the injuries occur, nothing can devastate a parent more than to hear that their child has been hurt. In many cases, injuries to children are caused by the negligent actions of another party. If your child suffers an injury, it is important to speak with a knowledgeable and compassionate personal injury attorney as soon as possible. 

Common Causes of Child Injuries 

Children can be very resilient, and they often seem to bounce back quickly after being hurt. However, when a young child is severely injured, their life can be impacted forever. From tissue damage to traumatic brain injuries, a serious injury to a child can last a lifetime. Some of the most common causes of serious child injuries are listed below:

• Motor Vehicle Collisions: Today, car accidents are a leading cause of death among American children. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), approximately 723 children were fatally injured in motor vehicle collisions in 2016 alone. If you have young children, equipping your child with the proper car seat or booster seat could save their life. 
• Animal Attacks: Throughout the United States, dog bites are the most common form of animal attack. Each year, there are approximately 4.7 million dog bite incidents nationwide. For young children, dog bites can be incredibly dangerous. Due to the small stature of young children, they are likely to suffer injuries to the face or throat in the event of an attack. Children are commonly victims of dog attacks because they fail to recognize when an animal may be dangerous. 
• Falls: Every year, approximately 1.2 million children are hospitalized due to fall injuries. In the United States, falls are the leading cause of nonfatal injuries among children. In many cases, falls occur due to negligence on the part of a property owner. If your child is injured in a slip and fall accident while you are shopping at an establishment or while they are at school, you may be entitled to substantial injury compensation. 

Contact a Plainfield Child Injury Lawyer

When your child suffers a severe injury, it is easy to feel helpless and alone. In the aftermath of an injury, it is important to act quickly. Attorney Daniel Flaherty has helped countless families receive the compensation they deserve. As you focus on helping your child heal, we are here to ensure that your family is not financially impacted by the tragic event. To schedule a complimentary consultation with an adept Will County personal injury attorney, contact our office today at 815-577-7500. 

Here in the Chicago metropolitan area, thousands of commuters utilize public transportation to get to and from work each day. Chicago is home to an intricate rail system with Chicago Transit Authority (CTA), Amtrak, and Metra trains. While trains are one of the safest public transit systems in the United States, accidents do occur.

According to statistics compiled by the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA), 864 Americans were fatally injured in train accidents in 2017, while thousands of others were injured, many severely. If you or a loved one are injured in a train accident, you may be entitled to injury compensation. 

Every single year, thousands of Americans are fatally injured due to negligence. Dealing with the emotions resulting from a death in the family can be unbearable. Whether they were caused by drunk driving, medical malpractice, or another form of negligence, wrongful death cases can be especially devastating. For families that experience a death, the financial impact (such as the loss of wages) can be crippling. If a member of your family has been fatally injured due to the negligence of another party, you should seek out a legal professional you can trust. 

The Most Common Forms of Wrongful Death

According to Illinois’ Wrongful Death Act, a wrongful death lawsuit may be pursued by a victim’s surviving family members if their death was caused by any negligent actions that could have resulted in a personal injury case. Some of the most common forms of wrongful death in the United States include: 

• Motor Vehicle Collisions: Throughout 2017, a tragic 37,133 Americans were fatally injured in motor vehicle collisions. In a vast majority of fatal car accidents, the collision was caused by negligent driving. Some of the most deadly forms of negligent driving include speeding, texting while driving, and driving under the influence of alcohol. 
• Workplace Accidents: According to studies conducted by OSHA, 5,147 American workers were killed while at work in 2017. Today, the construction industry is one of the most dangerous fields in which a person can work. Common fatal construction accidents include falls, burns, and electrocution. Falling alone accounted for 371 construction deaths in 2017. 
• Elder Abuse: Nursing home negligence has become a national crisis in the United States. Nationwide, nearly five million elderly Americans are abused each year. Forms of nursing home abuse and neglect can include misdiagnosis, malnourishment, and failure to provide care. If you believe that the actions of a nursing home staff member were the cause of your loved one’s death, you deserve answers and compensation from the nursing home. 

Contact a Plainfield Wrongful Death Lawyer 

Emotionally recovering from a loved one’s death can be a truly traumatic experience. If your family member was fatally injured in a car crash, while on the job, due to medical negligence, or due to some other form of negligence, your family could be entitled to wrongful death compensation. With years of experience operating throughout the state of Illinois, Attorney Daniel Flaherty is prepared to ensure that your family receives the full compensation you deserve. To schedule a free consultation with a Will County wrongful death attorney, call us today at 815-577-7500.