If you’re dealing with a fall right now, focus on steps that protect both the injured resident and the record.
- Get medical care immediately. Head injuries, even when the resident “seems okay,” can require observation and imaging.
- Ask for the incident report and nursing documentation. Request copies as allowed under Massachusetts procedures.
- Document the timeline while it’s fresh. Note the approximate time, where the resident was, what staff said afterward, and any changes you observed before and after.
- Preserve communications. Save emails, letters, discharge paperwork, and any written statements from the facility.
Families often don’t realize that what the facility records (or fails to record) can determine what questions can be answered later. Early organization makes it easier for a Massachusetts nursing home fall attorney to evaluate liability.


