Northern California Nursing Home Neglect Injuries Attorneys
Nursing Home and Neglect Injuries
Despite contractual obligations to provide nursing home residents with the best possible care, nursing homes frequently fail to meet reasonable standards of care. All too frequently, residents suffer preventable physical injuries, illnesses and other detrimental health problems due to neglect by caregivers and nursing home employees. Nursing home neglect can take a variety of forms: injuries from falls due to negligent supervision, memory impaired residents walking away from a nursing home, pressure sores from being confined to a bed, and weakened immune systems from malnutrition and dehydration. When nursing home residents suffer neglect from caregivers and care facilities, family members are encouraged to report the situation to law enforcement, and contact an attorney to discuss the victim's legal rights. The following signs may indicate nursing home negligence:
- Untreated injuries or health problems
- Unkempt resident appearance; poor hygiene
- Lack of adequate supervision or assistive devices
- Unusual changes in the resident’s behavior
- Sudden weight loss or gain
- Physical marks or bruises.
Types of Nursing Home Neglect Injuries
Statistics have shown that understaffed nursing homes are more likely to commit negligent acts resulting in injury or illness. Left untreated, resident’s injuries may worsen and lead to infections and other complications that could result in a premature death. Types of nursing home neglect injuries that a resident may suffer from, include:
- Infection
- Mental instability
- Incontinence
- Bed sores
- Malnutrition
- Dehydration
- Bone fractures
- Dislocations
- Bruises
- Cuts and scrapes
- Coma
- Concussion
- Head injuries
- Spinal cord injuries
- Sprains
- Wrongful death.
Northern California Nursing Home Fall Injuries
According to the study "Preventing Falls in the Nursing Home," in a single, 100-bed nursing home facility, there are more than 100 slip and fall accidents each year, resulting in debilitating injuries for the nursing home resident. Although there are numerous reasons why a resident might slip and fall, a large number of slip and fall accidents are attributed to nursing home neglect. Upon admittance to the facility, the nursing home is required to provide adequate supervision and assistive devices for residents who are at high risk for a slip and fall accident. Nursing homes are also responsible for addressing environmental hazards that may cause a slip and fall accident, such as wet floors, faulty or broken beds, insufficient lighting, missing handrails and poorly maintained wheelchairs. An additional cause of slip and fall accidents can be the nursing homes inappropriate use of sedatives and anti-anxiety drugs. Sedatives can reduce the resident’s sensory functions, making it more difficult for the resident to walk and move around.
Recovering Compensation
A nursing home resident may be entitled to compensation for injuries that were caused by the nursing home’s negligent or careless conduct. Compensation can include past and current medical expenses, anticipated future medical expenses, mental suffering, disfigurement, shortened life expectancy, punitive damages and loss of enjoyment of life. In cases where the nursing home resident has died because of nursing home neglect, the residents heirs or dependants may recover compensation for loss of consortium (relationship), loss of companionship, funeral expenses, loss of parental advice and guidance, and pain and suffering. A knowledgeable northern California nursing home abuse lawyer can advise a victim's family of their best course of action to pursue compensation and hold caregivers and care facilities accountable.
Unless We Win, There is No Fee
To discuss your case with a northern California nursing home neglect injury attorney, call us at (800) 890-6722. All consultations are free and confidential, with no obligation. Under our contingency fee arrangement, we do not charge any fees unless we recover money for your claim.