Care Home Neglect Contributed to Fall and Significant Laceration

Background

Irvings Law have successfully secured compensation for the family of an elderly woman (‘SR’) who sustained an avoidable and deep laceration to her arm following a fall whilst resident at Priorslee House Care Home (part of HC-One Limited). By way of background, SR suffered with postural hypertension causing dizziness resulting in numerous falls.

On the evening of 22 September 2024 at around 8.54pm, SR was sat in the communal lounge of Priorslee House Care Home. The lounge area was not manned by staff at the time. A member of staff went into the lounge area at approximately 9:41pm in which they found SR on the floor. A senior member of staff was alerted and they attended to SR.

SR sustained a large laceration on the underside of her right arm due to the fall. It was suspected that she had scraped it on the corner of a coffee table on the way down.

Staff subsequently contacted 999 to assist with the SR’s injury. Paramedics arrived at 11:33pm and noted a large gaping laceration approximately 4 inches long which had cut through all layers of SR’s skin with fatty tissue visible. The paramedics dressed and bandaged SR’s wound. Due to the open wound putting SR at high risk of infection and the severity of the same, SR was conveyed to Princess Royal Hospital for her injury to be cleaned and sutured.

A Section 42 safeguarding enquiry was subsequently carried out by the local authority, and it was confirmed by Priorslee House Care Home as part of the enquiry that the premises was not staffed to the staffing grid at the time of the incident.

Representation

SR’s family instructed Hannah Winearls to bring a negligence claim against HC-One Limited for inadequate supervision and understaffing resulting in SR having suffered an unwitnessed fall resulting in a large laceration to the underside of her right arm requiring sutures.

It was the Claimant’s case that HC-One breached its duty of care to SR as follows:

• Failure to provide adequate supervision. SR was left unattended at the time of the incident.
• Failure to provide adequate staff levels. At the time of the incident, Priorslee House Care Home was not staffed to the staffing grid.
• Failure to make any or any suitable and sufficient changes to SR’s care plan to take into account her ongoing pattern of falls following her diagnosis of postural hypertension.
• Failing in the premises to have any or any sufficient care for SR’s safety at the time of the incident.

Resolution

HC-One Limited did not formally confirm their stance on liability in relation to the above allegations, however, offers of compensation were made by them.

Family feedback

“The service we had from Hannah was first class… Hannah took time to call and explain and advise. Her support and empathy were very much appreciated. We felt heard and justified in seeking justice for my mum. Thank you so much Hannah.”

Can I Start a Care Home Negligence Claim?

If you or someone you know has suffered care home negligence similar to SR’s, such as a failure to provide adequate supervision and staffing levels resulting in injury, then please get in touch with one of our specialist care home negligence solicitors today.

lrvings Law are specialists in handling care home negligence claims and are committed to securing financial compensation for victims of care home negligence.

We act on a ‘No Win, No fee’ basis. If your claim is successful, the costs will be paid by the Defendant. If the claim is not successful, the costs will be written off and you do not have to pay anything.

Contact us today for a no obligation and confidential chat on 0151 475 1999 or info@irvingslaw.com to see how we can help you.