After a fall, the goal is to stabilize the resident medically and preserve the facts that will later become critical evidence.
Do this quickly:
- Make sure injuries are evaluated and documented. Falls involving head impacts, dizziness, hip pain, or unexplained weakness require careful assessment.
- Ask for written details of the incident. Get the date/time, where the fall occurred, what staff observed, and what care followed.
- Keep your own timeline. Note what you were told, when you were notified, and any changes you observed afterward.
- Request copies of relevant records. In Washington, you can generally seek incident and medical documentation through the proper channels.
A common East Wenatchee family concern is whether they should “wait and see.” In many cases, waiting makes it harder to obtain complete records, especially if the facility’s internal documentation changes over time.


