Despite federal and state laws and oversight, both physical and psychological abuses in nursing homes are extremely prevalent. But just as rampant is the amount of nursing home neglect cases. When a nursing home resident is not given adequate care, they can suffer serious injury and harm to their emotional and physical health. Any family who suspects their elderly loved one has been the victim of nursing home neglect at the hands of the very people they have entrusted their care to should contact a Virginia personal injury attorney immediately.
Nursing Home Neglect
There are certain quality of care duties that every nursing home is required to provide for the residents who they are responsible for. This includes feeding, bathing, providing medical care and medication, and overall supervision to ensure the resident stays safe. If the resident is not provided any of these, then they are the victim of nursing home neglect.
The cause of that neglect can be attributed to a number of reasons. Maybe it is the staff member who has been assigned your loved one’s case who is failing to do their duties. It may also be because the staff is overworked – or there is not enough staff – because the management of the nursing home is unorganized. There is also the possibility that the nursing home management has failed to train or supervise their staff to make sure that adequate care is being provided to all residents.
Whatever the reason for the neglect, nursing home neglect can cause serious harm to an elderly resident and can result in a nursing home neglect lawsuit. Unfortunately, unlike physical abuse that leaves marks or other injuries that can be seen, neglect is not always so easily detected. Some of the signs that families should watch for include:
- Dehydration and malnutrition. This is a result of the staff’s failure to provide the resident with enough water and food.
- Bedsores, dental issues, and infections. This is a result of the staff’s failure to properly bathe and provide personal hygiene for the resident and change their bedding on a regular basis.
- Fall injuries, contagious illnesses, and exposure to hazards. This is a result of the staff’s failure to provide supervision or provide a healthy and clean environment for residents.
- Deterioration of the resident’s overall condition. This is often a result of the staff giving the resident the wrong or incorrect amounts of medication.
- Physical injuries caused by other residents. This is a result of staff not properly supervising all residents.
Contact a Virginia Injury Attorney Today
The legal team at Shapiro, Washburn & Sharp understand how difficult the decision to place a loved one in a nursing home can be. We also understand how horrifying it can be to find out the people you place your complete trust in to care for your loved one failed to do their job and your family member has suffered injury and pain because of that failure.
If this has happened to your family, it is time to hold the nursing home accountable. Call our office today to meet with one of our dedicated Virginia nursing home neglect attorneys to find out what legal recourse you and your family may have. We will work diligently to make sure your family gets the financial justice you deserve.
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