New Jersey Nursing Home Abuse Settlement Lawyers

If your family member has been mistreated in a nursing home, you may want to contact the New Jersey nursing home abuse settlement lawyers at Davis & Brusca, LLC. Your family may be entitled to compensation. An attorney can help you file a timely lawsuit against the nursing home.

Common Causes of Nursing Home Abuse

When you place your family member in a nursing home, you expect for him or her to receive excellent care. Unfortunately, however, this doesn’t always happen. In fact, some nursing home residents experience abuse. Here are common causes of nursing home abuse.

• Inadequate training. Taking care of nursing home residents is a big responsibility, so staff members should be properly trained. Unfortunately, some nursing homes skimp on proper training to save money. If nursing home staff members don’t have the proper training, they might not know how to perform certain tasks, which can harm residents. For example, staff members may not know how to administer medication properly or handle aggressive residents.

• Understaffing. Understaffing is a major issue in many nursing homes. In order to properly take care of residents, there needs to be adequate staff in a nursing home. If there is a staffing issue, there won’t be enough caretakers to look after residents. Residents may not get their medication on time or get fed at the proper times. Bedridden residents may not be able to move around, which can result in bedsores. 

• Poor pay. As New Jersey nursing home abuse settlement lawyers can confirm, nursing home abuse may also result from poor pay. If staff members don’t get paid what they deserve, they might not feel appreciated and lack the motivation to provide high levels of care to residents.

• Burnout. Some nursing home staff members have to work very long hours, especially if there is a staff shortage. They may eventually experience burn out. Unfortunately, when staff members are burnt out, they may take it out on residents. They may mistreat or neglect them.

Common Signs of Nursing Home Abuse

Many nursing home residents are too embarrassed and ashamed to report abuse. Therefore, as a close loved one, it’s up to you to notice the signs. Here are common signs of nursing home abuse.

• Unexplained injuries. If your family member frequently has injuries that he or she can’t fully explain, it’s a red flag. These injuries may include broken bones, bruises and cuts.

• Behavioral changes. When you visit your loved one in a nursing home, it is important to pay attention to changes in behavior. For example, if your normally happy-go-lucky relative is suddenly socially withdrawn or angry, it may be a cause for concern.

• Sudden weight loss. If your loved one has lost a lot of weight recently, it may indicate neglect. Your family member may not be getting fed enough in a nursing home.

• Poor hygiene. Does your family member frequently have unwashed hair or smell bad? If so, the nursing home may not be doing enough to keep your loved one clean.

Schedule a consultation with New Jersey nursing home abuse settlement lawyers at Davis & Brusca, LLC today.