Dealing with the Aftermath of Nursing Home Negligence

According to the National Center on Elder Abuse, the precise number of individuals who are the victims of nursing home negligence is hard to determine. The National Center on Elder Abuse estimates that a considerable percentage of nursing home negligence (as well as abuse) cases go unreported.

With that said, if a member of your family or another loved one is the victim of nursing home negligence, there exist certain strategies that you must employ in order to protect the rights and interests of the nursing home resident. Elderly abuse lawyer Spencer Farris states, "Any abuse or negligence in a nursing home could fall under medical malpratice. It is imperative that you hire a personal injury attorney with experience to uphold your rights."

Common Examples of Nursing Home Negligence
Nursing home negligence comes in many forms. There are some more common types of negligence seen in nursing homes with surprising frequency. Family members of individuals residing in nursing homes need to be aware of these more common types of negligence that occur in nursing care facilities.

One of the more common types of nursing home negligence reported in the United States involves improper use of medications. This includes conduct involving the failure to provide proper medications, at proper times and in proper dosages. 

Another scenario involving nursing home negligence involves bed-ridden patients who are not cared for in a proper manner. For example, bed-ridden patients must be tended to regularly, including moving them about to protect against bed sores (which can result in very serious infections).

Ambulatory patients are subjected to negligence in nursing homes in a number of ways. For example, when walking about, these patients are not provided with reasonable supervision. 

In some scenarios, nursing home negligence involves a patient or resident not receiving proper nourishment, not being provided an appropriate diet. This lack of reasonable care can cause very serious health and wellness complications for a resident of a nursing care facility.

Addressing Nursing Home Negligence
Families and other loved ones are in the best position to protect against nursing home negligence by maintaining regular and consistent contact with the resident of such a facility. This includes making regular visits to a care center and being observant about the conditions and the manner in which the resident is treated. Family members and loved ones should also become well acquainted with staff members in a nursing home.

If negligence is suspected, the first thing family members or other loved ones must do is to ensure that the resident is removed from harm's way. Oftentimes this necessitates moving the person to a different nursing care center.

Loved ones need to report suspected negligence to an appropriate representative of the nursing care facility, typically the center's manager. In addition, loved ones are also wise in reporting suspected negligence to the state's agency that provides adult protective services.

When loved ones suspect negligence, they need to begin keeping a contemporaneous record of what is believed to have occurred at the nursing home in regard to a resident's care and treatment. 

The Benefits of a Personal Injury Attorney
When nursing home negligence is suspected, family members are well advised to retain the services of a personal injury attorney. There are personal injury attorneys that specialize in nursing home negligence. 

By retaining a qualified personal injury lawyer, family members of a person in a nursing care facility can rest assured that the rights, interests and welfare of a resident of a nursing home are best protected and preserved.