Nursing Home Neglect
In a perfect world, when someone becomes unable to care for themselves, they would have family members and loved ones to step in and care for them. Unfortunately, this is not always possible, and the elderly are often placed in nursing homes or extended care facilities. When a family is forced to make this difficult decision, they can only hope that the facility which they choose will provide their loved one with a safe and caring environment. Sadly, there are times that this is not the case. Nursing home abuse is a serious issue which occurs in many forms. The abuse could be emotional, physical, or financial, and could be done purposely, or through nursing home negligence. If you have a loved one in a nursing home or extended care facility, you need to be aware of the various types of nursing home abuse. This will help you to decide when you may need to call a nursing home negligence lawyer. Here are some types of nursing home abuse.
Medical Malpractice Experience:
Financial abuse
- The elderly are common targets of those who seek to exploit them financially. These victims are often unable to defend themselves in such a situation. If you believe that your loved one has suffered financial abuse at the hands of a nursing home or extended care facility employee, schedule a consultation with a nursing home negligence attorney.
Verbal abuse
- In cases where a nursing home employee verbally abuses a resident, the results can be devastating for the victim. It can also be a bit more difficult to prove such a case since there is no physical evidence of such abuse. Our nursing home neglect attorneys will take on even the most difficult cases, and are experienced in gathering medical and psychological evidence to prove your case.
Sepsis
- This bacterial blood infection can occur from negligence on the part of the nursing home staff. If prevention, such as proper monitoring of bedsores, is not performed then the results can kill a patient who would have otherwise recovered. In such cases, a good and experienced lawyer is needed.
Wandering off
- One of the main reasons that a family may have to make the decision to place a loved one in a nursing home is that they have a habit of wandering off. This is sometimes true when the patient has Alzheimer’s. If the patient is allowed to wander around the facility unattended, or manages to leave the facility altogether, then a good attorney will need to be consulted on a case of nursing home neglect.
Burns
- Another type of injury which nursing home and extended care facility residents may suffer is burns from regular or sitz bath water being too hot. If a someone you know is burned in a nursing home due to staff negligence or understaffed conditions, an attorney can help you.
Nursing home patients may also suffer from injury due to clogged breathing tubes, choking on food, medication errors, dehydration, malnutrition, physical restraints, chemical restraints, falls, and sexual assault or abuse. In all of these cases, a good nursing home abuse lawyer or nursing home negligence attorney should be contacted.