How to Sue a Nursing Home for Bed Sores and Abuse
The decision to place a loved one in a nursing home is never easy. It can be extremely hard to watch as your mother, father, grandparent, or another relative has to move to a facility where they will be forced to give up their independence.
However, you may, at least, take comfort in the fact that the staff will care for your loved ones and help them live the rest of their life in peace. But, sadly, this is not always the case.
In fact, many nursing homes do not vet their employees very well. They may employ people who have no empathy for older individuals or they may employ those who simply don’t understand the job responsibilities.
Unfortunately, negligence and poor training of nursing home employees can lead to serious injury or even death of the nursing home resident. If this has happened to your loved one, consider getting in touch with a nursing home abuse lawyer as soon as possible.
Injuries Sustained in Nursing Homes
There are many injuries that residents may experience in a nursing home. However, some of the most commonly seen issues include:
- When a resident falls (especially if he or she is older or frail), there is a high likelihood that he or she will break a bone or suffer from another serious injury. Nursing home staff members may not always be able to prevent falls, but they should be able to prevent most of them. There are many different safety strategies that should be in place to prevent falls and there should be a clear plan for how to care for residents after they have fallen.
- Bedsores may sound like a minor issue, but they are one of the biggest causes of death and serious issues with which nursing home residents are faced. Bed sores develop when people spend a very long time in one position, such as a resident who lays on her back all day long. Once these sores begin to develop, they need to be dealt with immediately. If they aren’t the underlying tissue can begin to die and the patient may suffer from serious infections or death as a result.
- Last but not least is the issue of abuse. Some nursing home staff are simply not equipped for the role they’ve committed to. They may lack empathy, or they may simply just not be cut out for caring for the elderly. Whatever the reason, nursing home abuse is rampant, and it can change residents’ lives for the worse.
The Importance of Nursing Home Abuse Lawyers
If you have had the unfortunate experience of dealing with nursing home abuse that affected your loved one, you deserve justice. Your nursing home abuse lawyer will help you navigate the legal system and they will ensure that you receive every penny you are entitled to.
Whenever these abuse cases happen, they need to be highlighted and dealt with immediately. Otherwise, these bad actors will continue to abuse nursing home residents with impunity.
Contact a nursing home abuse lawyer today!