News | August 21, 2025

Falls lawsuits against care providers an enormous issue

falls lawsuits against care providers an enormous issue
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FALLS

Falls are common, costly, dangerous, and frequently preventable

Understanding their prevalence and consequences is vital for planning effective prevention. With an aging global population, the consequences of falls on individuals, healthcare systems, and societies are projected to intensify.

Falls are the second leading cause of unintentional injury deaths, with approximately 684,000 deaths annually worldwide, mostly among those over 60.  Age is one of the key risk factors for falls. Older people have the highest risk of death or serious injury arising from a fall and the risk increases with age. For example, in the United States of America, 20–30% of older people who fall suffer moderate to severe injuries such as bruises, hip fractures, or head trauma. This risk level may be in part due to physical, sensory, and cognitive changes associated with ageing, in combination with environments that are not adapted for an ageing population.

Fall-related deaths among U.S. older adults have surged by more than 70% between 2003 and 2023, with over 40,000 recorded deaths in 2023. Costs are projected to climb above $101 billion by 2030.

Decreased gait speed and a fear of falling are among the factors contributing to an increase in falls among assisted living residents, according to the results of a new study published in Medical Science Monitor.

Falls are an enormous issue in long-term care facilities, and are often at the heart of lawsuits against care providers. The medical record is crucial to the defense when piecing together a timeline of what happened—including all the steps the care team took to demonstrate awareness of the patient’s fall risk and attempts to prevent the patient or resident from falling.

The best offense is often a strong defense—especially when it comes to successfully defending healthcare providers in medical malpractice cases. One way to build a defense in medically-related lawsuits is by demonstrating that the healthcare company being sued met the standard for quality of care.

5 interventions to prevent falls in nursing facilities
KNOWLEDGE

Excelas is honored to sponsor the DRI Senior Living and Long-Term Care Litigation Seminar for the 16th year—

continuing our long-standing commitment to this vital event (with a brief pause during COVID)

Join us in Austin, TX, from September 10–12, 2025, at this forward-thinking conference, where legal and healthcare professionals come together to tackle pressing challenges in senior living and long-term care litigation.

One of the standout sessions – “Mastering the Defense of Wound Infection Claims: Medical Causation and Litigation Strategies” – dives deep into one of the industry’s most critical issues. Eric Walker, MD, will explore the medical side of wound infections, including causation, standards of care, and contributing factors. Sammi Renken will present powerful legal strategies and tools to challenge wound infection claims effectively.

With skin and wound injuries ranking as the second leading cause of loss for senior living and long-term care providers, this session is a must-attend.

At Excelas, we bring expertise in analyzing skin and wound injury cases. Our team specializes in:

  • Reviewing medical records to uncover alternative causes
  • Evaluating care plans, compliance documentation, and staff training
  • Interpreting CMS regulations
  • Supporting counsel with developing targeted deposition questions, selecting expert witnesses, and robust defense strategies

If you’re attending, don’t miss the opportunity to connect with Jean Bourgeois, Founder and President of Excelas. She’ll be available to discuss how we can support your medical record and document management needs.

Let’s meet in Austin and explore how Excelas can help you build stronger cases.

Schedule a meet up with Jean at DRI September 10-12!
HONORS

Excelas, LLC is honored to be one of the 2025 Best and Brightest Companies to Work For in the Nation for the ninth consecutive year!

On July 22, 2025, The Best and Brightest Companies to Work For® announced and honored the newest winners of the 2025 Best and Brightest Companies to Work For in the Nation. Only companies that distinguish themselves as having the most innovative business acuteness and human resource practices were bestowed this honor.

With over 25 years of experience conducting the Best and Brightest competitions, the National Association for Business Resources (NABR) has identified numerous best Human Resource practices and provided benchmarking for companies that continue to be leaders in employment standards.

Jennifer Kluge, President and CEO of NABR and the Best & Brightest Programs, emphasized that “These companies have excelled by prioritizing their workplace culture. By putting their employees first, this exceptional group of top-tier leaders has created a strong foundation that sets them apart as leaders in their industries and communities.”

Learn why Excelas, LLC continues to be one of the Best & Brightest Companies to Work For in America

Excelas helps organizations respond accurately and quickly to claims and litigation brought against them

Partnering with attorneys, health care organizations, and insurance companies since 1995, Excelas provides medical legal analyses and tools for building winning defense strategies. When expertise, accuracy, reliability, and on-time delivery count, you can count on Excelas.

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