If your family is dealing with a fall right now, start with actions that protect both your loved one’s health and the facts that will matter later:
- Get medical care immediately—especially if there’s a head strike, dizziness, confusion, vomiting, or worsening pain.
- Ask for the incident report and post-fall assessments while you’re still in the early hours/days after the event.
- Request copies of the care plan and fall risk documentation for the resident’s current period of care.
- Write down a timeline (who was on duty, what staff told you, what changed afterward, and when symptoms began).
In New Jersey, delays in documentation or inconsistent reporting can become a major issue in disputes over what the facility knew and how it responded. Early organization helps you avoid that problem.


