Did You Suffer Wheelchair Transportation Injuries Due to Nursing Home Negligence in Illinois? Call Our Nursing Home Abuse Lawyers in Springfield for Help
Wheelchairs are very common, especially in nursing homes. According to statistics from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), roughly 25% of Americans have some form of disability. Those same statistics indicate that mobility is the most common disability, often resulting in individuals needing canes, walkers, or most commonly wheelchairs. In fact, there are almost 3 million Americans using wheelchairs. This includes many residents in nursing homes or long-term care facilities. Although wheelchairs are generally safe, personal injuries related to a wheelchair’s use can occur. This is particularly true when a resident is being transported by the facility. Oftentimes wheelchair transportation injuries due to nursing home negligence in Illinois can result in significant pain and suffering, high medical bills, and emotional damages. If you or a loved one suffered any type of wheelchair injury, especially during transport, call the experienced nursing home abuse lawyers in Springfield for help.
At the Noll Law Office, their compassionate legal team has worked to protect the rights of people in Illinois for five generations. Their family has taken a client-centered approach to representing people and their families, particularly right here in Springfield where their law office is located. Unlike other personal injury law firms that send cases off across the state to young associates, the Noll Law Office handles cases in-house. That means you can call and speak to one of their lawyers when you have questions on your case – not to a partner who is not actually handling your case, or to a newly-minted lawyer in a big city. To learn more about how the Noll Law Office can help you, please call their nursing home abuse lawyers to schedule a FREE case evaluation at (217) 414-8889.
How Wheelchair Accidents Happen
Wheelchair accidents can happen in a number of ways. The most common cause is when a person is getting in and out of a wheelchair. These types of transfer accidents are often due to an improperly set-up wheelchair or when a wheelchair’s brakes are not on or the wheelchair is not braced/held.
However, another common and often more devastating type of wheelchair accident is when a nursing home resident is injured in a wheelchair transportation accident. This type of accident occurs when a person is going into, out of, or while riding in a motor vehicle that is transporting him or her to or from a nursing home. These transports are often done by the facility or an agent of the facility.
Examples of Wheelchair Transportation Accidents in Illinois
Wheelchair accidents can happen in a number of ways. More pertinently, this can occur while riding in a vehicle that is not properly equipped for transporting individuals in a wheelchair. According to research, individuals sitting in wheelchairs in a motor vehicle accident have a higher injury rate than those who were in a vehicle’s regular seats. That means that drivers must exercise reasonable care when operating a motor vehicle with a wheelchair passenger who remains in the wheelchair. Proper safety equipment must also be used too in the vehicle to protect the resident and to prevent the wheelchair from sliding, shifting, or causing nursing home injuries.
Wheelchair transportation accidents can also occur when a resident is getting on and off a vehicle. This is usually done through a ramp. If the ramp is not properly anchored or attached, it can shift, slide, or even collapse. Other times the ramp does not have an adequate lip on the edges to prevent a wheelchair from being pushed off the side. Any time a resident of a nursing home suffers personal injuries due to a ramp while being loaded, that could be due to nursing home abuse, neglect, or negligence.
In addition, individuals may be injured while being loaded onto a vehicle by a lift. Although not as common, a defective lift can be very dangerous and cause the entire platform to collapse. That can cause a wheelchair rider to fall down and suffer impact injuries, fall injuries, or crushing injuries. All of these injuries are very serious and often lead to complications, pain and suffering, emotional harm, and unexpected medical bills.
Call the Noll Law Office for Help After a Wheelchair Transportation Injury
Wheelchair transportation injuries are very serious and often lead to significant pain and suffering, high medical bills, and emotional damages. Residents of nursing homes and long-term care facilities are protected under Illinois law from negligence accidents, abuse, and neglect. Any resident who has suffered any type of wheelchair transportation accident should contact the experienced nursing home abuse lawyers in Springfield at the Noll Law Office for help. They offer free consultations can case evaluations, answering your questions and giving you the help that you need and deserve. To learn more about your rights to compensation under Illinois law, contact their experienced nursing home abuse lawyers in Springfield today.