Knoxville Wheelchair & Van Transport Injury Attorney
Wheelchairs allow the elderly to remain mobile when health-related problems prevent them from walking. By using a wheelchair, their risk of a fall injury declines, and they can still move themselves around a home.
However, as many concerned family members find out, loved ones in a wheelchair can also suffer serious injuries in a van transport accident. These injuries can be just as serious as those suffered in a fall. If the nursing home or transport company is to blame, they should pay compensation. Contact our Knoxville wheelchair & van transport injury attorney at Atkins Brezina, PLLC PLLC to learn more about this area of law.
How Accidents Happen
If a wheelchair is in good working order, then a resident should not fall out of it. However, sometimes transportation company or nursing home negligence can contribute to an accident. We are prepared to help any senior citizen and their family obtain compensation for injuries suffered as a result of:
- Defective wheelchairs. A defective chair might collapse, stop suddenly, or be difficult to maneuver. A senior citizen can be injured when they fall out of the chair.
- Improperly secured wheelchairs. The driver or other staff member doesn’t properly secure the wheelchair in a van, which allows it to begin rolling during a sudden stop. Common reasons for failing to secure a wheelchair include driver inexperience or defective straps.
- Negligent or reckless van drivers. If the driver gets into a crash, any occupant can be injured. Accidents are often caused by fatigue, distraction, substance abuse, or carelessness.
- Defective chair lifts. A wheelchair is elevated into the van with the lift. Unfortunately, a defective lift could break, sending the wheelchair and resident tumbling to the ground. A lift might be defective coming from the manufacturer, or improper repairs could cause problems.
- Negligent operation of the lift. Some inexperienced employees might not know how to use the lift properly. They could fail to secure your loved one on the lift or stop it suddenly.
- Use of inappropriate wheelchairs for transit. Not all wheelchairs are appropriate to use in a van. The nursing home might put your loved one in a chair that can’t be secured properly, leading to injuries.
Transportation Injuries
Any elderly person who falls from a wheelchair can suffer multiple injuries. Some of the more common include fractures to the neck, pelvis, ribs, or spine. These fractures cause many complications, including paralysis or constant pain. When ribs fracture, the elderly suffer an increased risk of deadly pneumonia.
Anyone injured in a wheelchair or van transport accident should receive compensation for their injuries. If the nursing home or the transport company is liable, they should pay for your loved one’s medical treatment and pain and suffering. If you must take time off from work, you might seek compensation for lost income to look after your loved one.
Contact Atkins Brezina, PLLC Today for a Free Case Evaluation
Transportation injuries are fairly common. Obtaining compensation, however, is much harder work than concerned family members often imagine at the start of the process. At Atkins Brezina, PLLC, our Knoxville nursing home injury attorney can review your legal right to compensation and begin the claims process.
