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When your loved one is in a nursing home, you expect them to receive the best possible care. Many families choose nursing homes for their loved ones because they have a large amount of healthcare staff that can take care of their needs. Nursing homes may be chosen because families hope they will offer a strong sense of community or because they may have a variety of amenities like a pool or activities center. Unfortunately, the reality of nursing home life rarely meets with one’s hopes or expectations and there are many cases of abuse in nursing homes. In fact, statistics show over 5 million elderly residents suffer abuse each year in the U.S., with far more likely going unreported.
If you believe that your loved one is a victim of nursing home abuse, you should contact a trusted and experienced PA nursing home neglect lawyer like Davis & Brusca, LLC right away so that you can receive legal help.
The experienced and highly accomplished firm of Davis & Brusca, LLC has decades of experience assisting clients. Our lawyers have experience in many areas of personal injury and malpractice law but concentrate on nursing home neglect and abuse. Our legal team understands our clients needs and we fight aggressively to see that they are protected.
As the PA nursing home neglect lawyers at Davis & Brusca, LLC can explain to you, there are many factors that can cause neglect to occur. These are some of the most common causes that contribute to nursing home abuse and neglect that our lawyer see:
Explore your legal options before it is too late. If your loved one has been a victim of nursing home abuse and neglect contact a trusted nursing home neglect lawyer like one at Davis & Brusca, LLC.
Davis & Brusca, LLC is proud to be the leading nursing home neglect lawyer PA families rely on during some of their most challenging times. A call to one of our dedicated and caring attorneys should be one of the first calls made in the wake of negligence in nursing homes. Nursing home residents have a right to receive adequate care which meets the quality standards that apply across the industry. Because nursing home residents are among the most vulnerable people in our population, they are at high risk of succumbing to injuries when negligent care is provided. For this reason, families with loved ones in nursing homes should be vigilant to signs of potential issues. Looking out for the signs of poor care can go a long way to ensuring the care and safety of your relatives.
Unfortunately, even with a dedicated family, it’s still possible for seniors to suffer harm. Should this occur, the legal team at Davis & Brusca, LLC is here to provide counsel and support to the victims of nursing home neglect and abuse and their families.
The aging U.S. population is particularly vulnerable for several reasons. When people move into a residential care setting like a nursing home, it is often because they no longer have the ability to care for themselves. Some may have physical limitations, medical conditions, or cognitive issues. While some of these ailments may result from natural age progression, they may also be due to injuries that have resulted in lifelong impairments. Because of this, nursing home residents are often fully dependent upon nursing home administration and staff for meeting their basic needs and medical care.
The nursing home neglect lawyers at Davis & Brusca can share insights into the many problems present in nursing homes that can contribute to poor care. Examples include poor administration, lack of staff, poor pay, and inadequate training. All of these factors contribute to the poor quality of care that residents are at risk of receiving.
One of the first steps in preventing abuse is to research prospective nursing homes. Visiting the nursing homes in person, meeting staff, and asking questions of the administration is critical to making a smart choice and selecting a good nursing home. But, in the end, no amount of research can guarantee good care. Even if the family has done everything possible to find care for their loved one, it’s still possible for neglect and abuse to occur. As such, it is critical that the family visit frequently and be able to recognize signs of abuse. These are varied and may include:
If any of these signs are observed, taking action as quickly as possible is crucial. Start by addressing potential problems with nursing home staff and administration. If there is no response, the next step should be to search for alternative care options. While problems may be rectified, it’s essential to remember that if your aging loved one has been injured or is in imminent danger, it might be necessary to ensure they receive immediate medical care and are removed immediately from the facility they are living in.
Every resident in a nursing home should be made to feel safe and secure, but unfortunately, there are many cases of nursing home abuse, as the skilled PA nursing home neglect lawyers at Davis & Brusca know all too well. Finding out that your loved one is a nursing home abuse victim is not easy. It is a difficult and painful thing to discover, and as the victim’s loved one may be at a loss of how to deal with the information. Nursing home residents who experience abuse and neglect can be entitled to recover compensation for what they have gone through, and they should know their rights. If you think that your loved one has been a victim of abuse, It’s important that you know and take the right steps.
Your loved one who is the victim of abuse or neglect may have the most information to provide you. If they have the mental capacity to recall and communicate, try to talk to them about what they have specifically experienced or seen in the nursing home. They may be reluctant to talk at first but write down whatever information that they can share with you.
Evidence is crucial if you suspect nursing home abuse. As a PA nursing home neglect lawyer like one from Davis & Brusca, LLC can tell you, common evidence provided for nursing home abuse include video recordings and critical gaps in medical reports. Direct family and powers of attorney are frequently entitled to copies of the medical chart upon request. You may also be entitled to see the facility’s policies and procedures, and to review their staffing data. This kind of proof can prove invaluable and the more you can gather, the stronger your case may be. Often, records gathered by family prove critical as facilities may alter charts once a lawyer gets involved.
Unexplained injuries are all too common and often indicate neglect of patients. For instance, bedsores may indicate that a patient is not being regularly repositioned in their bed. A patient must be moved periodically because they can suffer pressure sores or bedsores. Take many photos of injuries that your loved one has on their body, such as bedsores, bruises, scars and cuts. Photographs are especially important if your loved one has injuries on parts of the body that are usually covered by clothing, as our PA nursing home neglect lawyers can explain.
You can contact your state’s Department of Health if you believe that your loved one’s nursing home is not providing sufficient care. Frequently, this is done through online reporting. Be prepared to give an account of what your loved one has experienced. Have all your records, evidence, and other requirements ready to include in the complaint. It is important that you notify them as soon as possible following incidents of neglect or abuse, to maximize the prospects that an investigation into the nursing home may be productive. Be prepared to follow up with them to find out what your next steps should be.
Discovering that your loved one may be a victim of nursing home neglect or abuse is a terrible experience, as our PA nursing home neglect lawyers know all too well. Many families rely on nursing homes and long-term care facilities to provide quality care for their aging loved ones. However, there are many cases of abuse that occur to helpless and innocent elderly patients in nursing homes. The signs of nursing home abuse and neglect are not always obvious and easy to find.
If a nursing home patient is bedridden or must stay in bed for long periods of time, they need to be moved periodically, otherwise, they will develop bedsores. Also known as pressure sores, bedsores occur when the skin is under prolonged pressure, depriving it of blood supply and oxygen. This literally causes the skin to die, resulting in an open wound. If not properly treated, or if the resident is not kept clean and dry, these wounds can worsen and become infected. All too frequently, these infections enter the bloodstream, resulting in “sepsis”, which may be life-threatening.
Bedsores are a strong sign of neglect. There is international medical consensus that the overwhelming majority of bedsores are avoidable. Further, there is no single or combination of medical conditions which, standing alone, will cause a bed sore to be “unavoidable.” The overwhelming majority of bedsores are caused by a patient not being repositioned with enough frequency throughout the day. If you notice that your loved one has bedsore, take photos of their wounds, save the photos as evidence, and contact the lawyers at Davis & Brusca. We can help.
Bruises on the abdomen, limbs or other parts of the body are also common signs of nursing home abuse and neglect. A nursing home patient can suffer bruises if their caregiver or nurse becomes angry and strikes them. The patient may also get bruises because of a fall. Bruises on the wrists or arms can also happen if a staff member is not lifting a patient properly.
A nursing home patient may have cuts on their hands, feet, head, or body as a result of improper care. The patient can get cut from mobility devices or other assistive tools. A staff member may come at the patient and strike them, causing a deep cut or multiple cuts. As the PA nursing home neglect lawyers at Davis & Brusca, LLC know, staff members are responsible for ensuring that patients are safe, and protected and that any wounds that they have are promptly tended to. Even minor cuts can become infected and become serious if not treated promptly.
Nursing home residents frequently have lower bone density and are at increased risk for fractures. Fractures can develop in neglected nursing home patients due to falls from bed, slipping out of wheelchairs, gaps in supervision, and poor care planning. Many nursing home patients need hands-on assistance for transfers from bed or wheelchairs, or while walking to a different room and going to the bathroom. It is difficult for many elderly patients to do these tasks on their own, because of weakness, or other injuries. Even a small fall can result in a fracture because they have fragile bones. It is important to contact an experienced nursing home neglect lawyer, such as Davis & Brusca, LLC, if you suspect that your loved one has any injuries that may be signs of neglect or abuse.
It’s important that families not stand by and watch their loved ones suffer nursing home abuse. Victims and their families should take prompt action by holding the responsible parties accountable. Know that it’s possible to receive compensation for the losses experienced. To learn more about the services our nursing home neglect lawyer offers, schedule a risk-free consultation with our team at Davis & Brusca, LLC.
It can be hard to know what to do if you think your loved one may be a victim of nursing home abuse or neglect. That is why you should contact a skilled lawyer, such as the team at Davis & Brusca, as soon as you can so that they can immediately assist you and provide legal guidance. Our dedicated team of top lawyers knows how to navigate the nursing home system and is familiar with the laws and regulations which apply. Consult with one of our skilled and reputable PA nursing home neglect lawyers now if you are in need of legal support for a nursing home abuse case.
"Davis & Brusca did an extremely through job on our case. I found their compassion and understanding during difficult times to be in measurable. I highly recommend this firm."
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