Bedrails are supposed to keep nursing home residents safe; the consequences can be severe in circumstances where that doesn’t happen and an incident occurs. If your loved one suffered a bedrail injury in an Illinois nursing home, Meyers & Flowers can help your family hold the responsible parties fully liable for what they’ve done.
Our nursing home abuse lawyers in Chicago have more than 100 years of combined experience and have won billions of dollars on behalf of our deserving clients to date. Reach out to us for a free case assessment with no strings attached by calling (630) 576-9696 or contact us online.
Putting Meyers & Flowers in Your Corner After a Bedrail Injury in Illinois
Nursing home injury cases require a legal team that understands both the medical details and the regulations governing long-term care facilities in Illinois. Meyers & Flowers has deep experience handling claims against negligent nursing homes and know how to uncover the evidence that proves a facility fell short of its legal duties.
Our trial attorneys will:
- Review your loved one’s medical charts and care plans for signs of negligent supervision
- Investigate whether the facility used defective or recalled bedrail equipment
- Determine if staff followed proper protocols for assessing entrapment risk
- Pursue claims under the Illinois Nursing Home Care Act and any other applicable legal theories
- Demand full accountability from the facility, its ownership group, and any liable manufacturers
Families in these situations deserve answers; we are here to provide them. Contact us today to get started with your case.
Why Bedrail Injuries Happen in Illinois Nursing Homes
Most bedrail injuries stem from a failure in care, not from the bedrails themselves. Residents can become trapped between the rail and the mattress, tangled in gaps within the rail’s frame, or strangled after sliding into an opening that staff should have identified as a hazard. Elderly residents with cognitive decline or limited mobility face the highest risk.
Federal agencies have long warned facilities about the dangers of improper bedrail use. Despite those warnings, many nursing homes continue to install bedrails without conducting individual risk assessments, choosing the correct rail size, or checking on residents frequently enough to prevent entrapment. When a facility ignores these basic precautions, it may be held liable under Illinois law for the harm that follows.
Legal Protections Available to Injured Residents and Their Families
The Illinois Nursing Home Care Act (210 ILCS 45) gives residents a private right of action against facilities that cause harm through negligence or abuse. Under Section 3-601, a nursing home’s owner and licensee are directly liable for the negligent acts of their staff. Section 3-602 entitles injured residents to recover actual damages along with attorney’s fees and costs.
Families may also have grounds to pursue a product liability case against the manufacturer of a defective bedrail. If a bedrail injury leads to death, a wrongful death claim under 740 ILCS 180 may also be available. Our lawyers can assess which legal theories apply to your family’s situation during your free consultation.
Let Meyers & Flowers Fight for Your Family
No family should have to wonder whether a nursing home is putting their loved one at risk. If a preventable bedrail injury has already occurred, our legal team is prepared to step in and pursue every dollar of compensation your family is owed.
Call Meyers & Flowers today at (630) 576-9696 to set up a free consultation with a nursing home bedrail injury lawyer and learn about what legal options are available to you.