Placing your loved one in a nursing home or care facility is often a difficult choice. Whichever facility you choose, you want to be able to trust that your loved one will receive proper care, feel comfortable and at home, and maintain as much independence as possible. Unfortunately, not all nursing facilities display the same level of care and compassion for their residents.
Nursing home negligence has become commonplace in recent years— over 75% of nursing home residents in Florida report that they have been neglected or seen another resident suffer neglect at the hands of staff members. Neglect can range in severity from mild hygiene issues to loss of life, but in any case, this form of negligence is a crime and should not go unreported.
Here is what you should know about result of nursing home negligence, some warning signs you should look out for, and how our wrongful death lawyers can help.
What is Nursing Home Negligence/Neglect?
Nursing home negligence occurs when residents in nursing homes or care facilities do not receive adequate care for their physical and mental needs. Neglect can take the form of improper healthcare, inadequate hygiene care, social or emotional neglect, or any other form of substandard care.
The Nursing Home Reform Act of 1987 works to ensure that residents in nursing homes receive quality care by mandating that certain services, such as nursing, pharmaceutical, and dietary services, be available to residents. This act also establishes a Bill of Rights for residents and requires each state to regularly monitor and evaluate its facilities.
Nursing home negligence is a form of medical malpractice. If you believe your loved one has fallen victim to neglect in a care facility, you need a competent lawyer who understands medicine on your side to represent your case.
Nursing Home Neglect vs. Abuse
Many people separate the terms “neglect” and “abuse” in their minds. However, nursing home neglect is a form of abuse and can be just as harmful as intentional abuse. Whether the neglect is accidental or purposeful, it can produce drastic consequences for residents.
Signs of Nursing Home Negligence
Nursing home negligence often goes unnoticed by visitors. The best way to spot this form of abuse is to evaluate your loved one’s physical, mental, and emotional health, along with their hygiene and living situation, each time you visit.
If your loved one is experiencing nursing home negligence, you may notice one or several of these warning signs:
- Unexplained injuries
- Personal hygiene issues
- Lack of accommodation to prevent illness or injuries
- Bedsores
- Dehydration
- Malnutrition
- Sleep loss
- Personality changes
Nursing facilities are responsible for every aspect of a resident’s health and well-being. If a nursing home offers adequate care, your loved one will only experience natural, unpreventable illnesses or injuries. If not, you will probably notice that some of your loved one’s needs are not being met.
You may also become aware of these red flags in the nursing home facility that point to overarching neglect:
- Insufficient staffing
- Unqualified staff
- General uncleanliness
- Excessive use of restraints on a resident
- Staff forgetting to move residents with mobility issues
- Medication errors
Noticing even one of these signs could create cause for a negligence lawsuit. Contact our team at Menendez Trial Attorneys today for a free consultation.
Wrongful Death Resulting From Nursing Home Neglect
Unfortunately, death sometimes occurs due to a facility’s negligence. If your loved one has passed away while under the care of a nursing facility, and you noticed any of the above warning signs before their death, nursing home negligence may be the cause.
Similarly, if the nursing home provides insufficient details about the cause of death or the cause of death seems suspicious, the facility may be trying to cover up neglect.
If you believe nursing home negligence played a role in your loved one’s death, the best course of action is to contact a medical malpractice attorney.
Contact Our Experienced Medical Malpractice Team
Nursing home negligence is a serious matter. If your loved one has suffered at the hands of their care workers, the facility needs to be held accountable.
Placing a loved one in a nursing home means that you are putting the full responsibility of their care on the facility. If they fail to provide for a resident, filing a lawsuit may be the best course of action. Reporting nursing home negligence also ensures that other residents do not continue to suffer from neglect.
Our formidable law team has the proper knowledge and experience to advocate for victims of nursing home negligence. We use an evidence-driven approach to present a convincing case for our clients, help them navigate the level system, and get them adequate compensation for their suffering.
If you believe your loved one has been injured or even died due to nursing home negligence in Florida, we may be able to help. Contact Menendez Trial Attorneys today at 305-930-7247 to schedule your free consultation.
Disclaimer: The information in this blog post (“post”) is provided for general informational purposes only and may not reflect the current law in your jurisdiction. No information contained in this post should be construed as legal advice from the individual author or the law firm, nor is it intended to be a substitute for legal counsel on any subject matter. No reader of this post should act or refrain from acting on the basis of any information included in, or accessible through, this post without seeking the appropriate legal or other professional advice on the particular facts and circumstances at issue from a lawyer licensed in the recipient’s state, country or other appropriate licensing jurisdiction.
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Menendez Trial Attorneys
113 Almeria Avenue
Coral Gables, FL 33134
305-930-7247
https://menendeztrialattorneys.com/
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