New Jersey Personal Injury Lawyers: Hazardous Bed Rails Lead To Serious Injuries
Bed rails, also called side or safety rails, can serve as an important safety precaution in nursing homes, hospitals and the homes of the elderly or medically fragile. Unfortunately bed rails can create their own set of hazards when improper manufactured or used in a reckless or careless matter.
Approximately 37,000 individuals suffered injuries (including 150 deaths) related to bed rails between 2003 and 2011. Typical injuries resulting from improperly used or designed bed rails include strangulation, asphyxiation, broken bones, skin bruising and lacerations. Individuals can get caught in gaps between bed rails and mattresses or between the bed rails themselves which can lead to both strangulation and asphyxiation. When individuals attempt to climb over bed rails to get out of the bed, they can injure themselves by falling.
A glaring lack of government regulation exists in the bed rail industry. Unlike other types of safety precautions used by hospitals or nursing homes, bed rails are minimally regulated by the government. Although there are no safety warning labels required on bed rails, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has issued voluntary guidelines which set forth recommended size limits for bed rail gaps and identify potential risks associated with the use of bed rails.
Following several deaths of elderly individuals related to defective bed rails in 2013, a federal investigation into the bed rail industry began. The FDA and Consumer Product Safety Commission have formed a committee to develop safety standards for adult portable bed rails. For individuals who have suffered serious and potentially fatal bodily injuries caused by hazardous bed rails, the government’s action is too little, too late.
New Jersey Personal Injury Lawyers at Eichen Crutchlow Zaslow, LLP Assist Individuals Harmed by Faulty Bed Rails Obtain Compensation
If you or your loved one has been injured by defective bed rails, you may be entitled to compensation for the costs of past and future medical treatment, rehabilitation, lost wages, loss of earning capacity and pain and suffering. The experienced New Jersey injury attorneys at Eichen Crutchlow Zaslow, LLP work with families to pursue product liability claims against defective manufacturers and reckless distributors as well as medical malpractice claims for nursing home negligence and hospital malpractice. Our offices are conveniently located in Edison, Red Bank and Toms River, New Jersey to serve injured individuals and their families throughout New Jersey. To schedule your free confidential consultation today, call our dedicated New Jersey personal injury lawyers today at 732-777-0100 or submit an online inquiry form.
Eichen Crutchlow Zaslow, LLP has purposely remained small in size, because it is important to us that we get to know our clients and their needs. Larger NJ injury firms may churn out case after case, but that’s not how we operate. Partners Barry Eichen, William Crutchlow, and Daryl Zaslow have created a firm with the resources to handle complex litigation, and a team that takes your case personally.
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