Nursing Home Negligence Lawyer Trenton, NJ

Nursing Home Negligence Lawyer Trenton, NJ Trusts Offers Tips for Finding the Right Nursing Home

Make sure your loved ones are being taken care of

Nursing Home Negligence Lawyer Trenton, NJ

Davis & Brusca, LLC, your nursing home negligence lawyer from Trenton, NJ, knows that placing your loved one in a nursing home facility is not something to be taken lightly.  But how can you ensure you’re making the “right” choice?  Hopefully this article will help.

First, it is important that you not simply confine your search to “a nursing home” or the “closest” nursing home.  Depending on where you live, those selection criteria could prove to be disastrous.  If you are looking to find the right facility for your loved one, it is important that you understanding what a nursing home must have in order to properly care and support for your loved one.  You simply must do your research.  Of course, you should thoroughly research the facilities available in your area, but consider expanding your search if you are not comfortable with the results you get for your local facilities.  Taking this step is perhaps your best way to prevent your loved one from ending up in a poor nursing home where they could be subjected to neglect and abuse.  

Unfortunately, there are no guarantees. And, there is only so much you can do.  Nursing home neglect and abuse happens more frequently than most people realize.  If this happens to you, and you find that your loved one suffering, contact the Trenton, NJ nursing home negligence lawyers at Davis & Brusca, LLC for the experience and guidance you deserve.  We can help.

Nursing Home Facilities

If your loved ones are no longer able to care for themselves and need assistance, you likely have no choice but to place them into a nursing home facility. This can be a scary prospect for you and your loved one alike.  Their life is going to change; and, change, particularly at this scale, can be frightening. Nursing homes exist to provide care to people whose needs exceed what their loved ones can effectively provide in a home setting. These facilities can be a good option when properly staffed with caring workers.  THIS, perhaps more than any other single issue, is the KEY to delivering quality care.  Its simple common sense.  A facility which does not employ enough skilled workers to service their patient population cannot deliver good care.  Only a properly staffed facility will be able to offer residents quality 24-hour care on a regular basis.  Davis & Brusca is proud to be the nursing home negligence lawyers Trenton, NJ residents trust.  Our team knows the difference between a good facility and a bad one may not be apparent from a tour of the facility.  The physical set up will differ from facility to facility. Some may look like a hospital, while others may be set up more like a self-contained community. The appropriateness of any given facility for a patient depends on the individual’s particular needs, the facility’s staffing levels, and the financial abilities of the resident and their family.  Understand this:  ONLY a properly staffed facility will be capable of providing all-encompassing services to meet the needs of your loved one.

What to Look For in a Nursing Home

Finding the right placement should be at the forefront of your mind when considering a nursing home. Taking steps to ensure that you have properly vetted the nursing home facility is the best way to lessen the likelihood that problems will arise down the road. With that in mind, here are a few suggestions from the team of Trenton, NJ nursing home negligence lawyers at Davis & Brusca:

  • Always take a tour of prospective nursing home facilities.  While this step should not be only or even primary inquiry, it can certainly help you eliminate unacceptable facilities;
  • Inspect everything.  Check for cleanliness.  And, equally important, pay attention to the demeanor of the staff toward the other residents and the demeanor of the residents themselves;
  • Ask people you know for referrals or recommendations, especially your family doctor. Some doctors, particularly those with a geriatric background, may have a vast knowledge base when it comes to your available nursing home facilities;
  • Conduct internet searches of prospective nursing homes.  Excellent information exists through Medicare’s “CMS Compare” website (https://www.medicare.gov/nursinghomecompare/search.html).  Pay attention to the “star” ratings, including the rating for “staffing.”  Also, pay special attention to reviews of the facility given by others in your community.  These steps can tell you a lot!
  • Provide you loved one with as much input as possible by bringing them to look at prospective facilities
  • Compile a list of questions to ask when you meet with nursing home personnel.  Some suggestions can be found here:  https://dbtriallawyers.com/picking-nursing-home/
  • Check to determine what recreational and social activities are offered to residents.  Social interaction is crucial to happiness.  Make sure the environment is a good one!

The team at Davis & Brusca is proud to be among the best New Jersey nursing home negligence lawyers, and we want you to know that the key to your family’s well being is for you to ensure that the facility is equipped to deliver quality care and provides your loved one with an opportunity to thrive.  A place which will make you both feel comfortable.  One in which you will not need to worry that your family member will be harmed by the facility’s employees.  Taking time to find the right facility, before the placement begins, will give you your best chance to mitigate the risk that your loved one may be harmed or fall victim to poor care.

Ultimately, there is only so much you can do.  And sometimes, despite the family’s best efforts, our seniors fall victim to nursing home abuse or neglect and require help from a Trenton, NJ nursing home negligence lawyer.  This can happen anywhere and to anyone.  So, if you or someone you love has been the victim of nursing home abuse, you should consider taking legal action. The lawyers at Davis & Brusca, LLC, Trenton, NJ’s trusted nursing home negligence lawyers, have dedicated decades to helping injured persons seek justice.  If your loved one has suffered injury at the hands of a nursing home, call us and set up a free, no obligation consultation with one of the top nursing home negligence lawyers in New Jersey.  Let us put our experience to work for you.

Important Information About Nursing Home Understaffing

Nursing home neglect is often viewed as something that occurs intentionally or at the hands of a malicious nursing home staffer.  Fortunately, intentional harm is not the most frequent problem in nursing homes.  What is a regular issue which leads to neglect in a nursing home is understaffing. Research shows that an overwhelmed staff member is more likely to neglect nursing home residents because they simply do not have sufficient time or energy to provide adequate care for them.

If your loved one is suffering due to an understaffed nursing home, contact a nursing home negligence lawyer in Trenton, NJ from Davis & Brusca, LLC. Our legal team brings over 70 years of combined experience serving clients who were injured due to the neglect or carelessness of others.  You entrusted your loved one’s care to the nursing home. If that trust is abused, and your loved one harmed, it is important that the negligent facility is held accountable. The trusted Trenton, NJ nursing home negligence lawyers at Davis & Brusca, LLC can investigate the nursing home’s policies, actions, and staffing to determine if the injury was likely caused by abuse or neglect. If indeed that was the case, Davis & Brusca can seek justice for your family. A settlement or verdict can make it possible for your elder to receive the care they need and the treatment they deserve.

Reasons for Understaffing in Nursing Homes

Understaffing is almost always driven by the facility’s efforts to cut its costs.  Why do facilities address this issue with staff?  Here are a few of the main reasons:

  • Labor is expensive.  In fact, it is one of the largest expense items a nursing home faces, and is the most directly controllable.  So, tragically, it is not uncommon for nursing home management or owners looking for an “easy” way to increase their profits to consistently run the facility in an understaffed condition. This may lead to ridiculous staff-to-patient ratios and horrendous outcomes.  When this happens, its time to call to Davis & Brusca.  Our Trenton, NJ nursing home negligence lawyers can help.
  • Culture & Experience Levels.  Many facilities place unreasonable demands on their senior people or use staff with low-levels of experience.  This drives the care demands to only a handful of folks and can contribute to high turn-over rates.  Such facilities will likely find it hard to find and keep an adequate amount of properly trained nurses to care for the needs of the facility’s residents, further compounding understaffing problems.
  • Overtime. It is common for some nursing home staff to be asked or required to work overtime. These longer hours can increase stress levels and reduce a staff member’s patience with residents. A stressed employee may not have the capacity to provide adequate care for the residents of a nursing home. Our dedicated nursing home negligence lawyers in Trenton, NJ can determine if overworked employees contributed to the negligent care of your loved one.

Consequences of Nursing Home Understaffing

Nursing home understaffing can lead to disastrous results. Abuse and neglect are more common in facilities with high patient-to-staff ratios. It can cause psychological disorders, increase the likelihood of falls, cause direct physical harm such as bed sores, and even lead to a resident’s death. Contact the experienced New Jersey nursing home negligence lawyers at Davis & Brusca, LLC if you believe your loved one was harmed at an understaffed nursing home.

Signs Your Loved One Has Fallen Victim to Nursing Home Negligence

As a skilled Trenton, NJ nursing home negligence lawyer, the team of Davis & Brusca will tell anyone considering taking legal action that taking immediate action to retain a skilled lawyer can be a crucial step to obtain the compensation your loved one deserves for the harm an injuries they have suffered. We know that placing your aging loved one in a nursing home was not a decision that you took likely. The last thing you wanted was to come to this decision only to find that your loved one was not cared for and faced injuries as a result. The Trenton, NJ nursing home negligence lawyers at Davis & Brusca, LLC want you to know the signs that your loved one has fallen victim to mistreatment or negligence in a nursing home. If you suspect that your loved one has been harmed due to negligence on the part of a nursing home, there are a number of signs which should tell you its time for you to take action:

Sign #1: Unexplained Injuries

If you’ve encountered this with your family member, be on high alert and seek counsel from a nursing home attorney. There are a variety of actions that may indicate that your loved one is being mistreated, including:

  • Broken bones or sprains 
  • The injuries your loved one has experienced & the stories you’re getting from the facility don’t make sense to you
  • Marks on your loved ones wrists or ankles.  These may indicate that they are being restrained
  • Your ability to see or interact with your loved one is limited in any way

Sign #2: Unusual Behavior Attributed to Emotional Abuse

If you notice that your loved one is acting unusually, you should pay extra attention and look to find out why.  Changes in behavior, mental or physical status, require prompt or even immediate assessment by a RN or doctor.  Behavioral changes may be due to infection or injury, or they may be a response to neglect or abuse.  Some behaviors the Trenton, NJ nursing home negligence lawyers at Davis & Brusca have seen and suggest you look for as signs of abuse, including emotional abuse, include:

  • Malnourishment or dehydration caused by staff withholding food or water from the patient
  • Your loved one has regressed suddenly in their level of functioning
  • Your loved one isolates themselves or refuses to socially interact with loved ones
  • Your loved one becomes quickly frustrated or agitated
  • Your loved one appears fearful or nervous

Sign #3: Limited Access to Your Loved One

Have you discovered that the access you once had to your loved one has changed? This may be reason to contact a Trenton, NJ nursing home negligence lawyer for guidance you need to take action. If you find that you are unable to have contact with your loved one in the way you once did, or interactions are now being closely monitored by staff, it could be a sign that your aging loved one is being mistreated.

3 Questions To Ask Your Nursing Home Negligence Lawyer

Davis & Brusca Trial Lawyers know how heartbreaking it can be to learn that your loved one has been mistreated. It’s hard enough to place someone you care about into a nursing home, but learning about negligence can be devastating. If you suspect a nursing home of negligence, here are three questions to ask your nursing home negligence lawyer in Trenton, NJ.

What Other Behavior Is Considered Negligence?

When you think of issues with nursing homes, your mind may flood with stories of horrible abuse, but sometimes the worst damage is caused by the attention they don’t receive. For instance, your loved one may not have bruises, but maybe they were able to wander out of the facility when it wasn’t safe for them to leave. Or maybe they haven’t been getting their medications on time, or their sheets are causing bedsores. Just because no one is intentionally being malicious doesn’t mean no one is at fault. A nursing home negligence lawyer in Trenton, NJ can help you identify common injuries.

My Focus Is My Loved One. Should I Really Sue?

When your number one priority is making sure your loved one is comfortable and cared for, a lawsuit may not be something you want to go through. On the other hand, monetary compensation is one of the few things that helps to correct the way nursing homes are run. A nursing home negligence lawyer in Trenton, NJ can help you prevent nursing homes from treating others the way your loved one was treated. 

When Should I Remove My Loved One From the Environment?

Ideally, you should remove your loved one from a nursing home the second you think negligence is at play. Record everything, take medical records, write down names, and take pictures. It can be difficult financially for many people to suddenly remove a loved one from a nursing home, but their safety is the most important thing, and you can discuss any additional damages you want to claim with your nursing home negligence lawyer in Trenton, NJ. You may be compensated for the time and income lost due to caring for your loved one.

It takes a lot of trust to leave a vulnerable loved one in a nursing home, so when negligence does occur, it’s also very easy to blame yourself. Davis & Brusca Trial Lawyers can help you understand the intricacies of your case to help you take action and seek justice.

Turn to a Trenton, NJ Nursing Home Negligence Lawyer for Help

If you suspect that your loved one is being abused or neglected in a nursing home, you owe it to yourself to speak with an experienced and trusted New Jersey nursing home negligence lawyer like Davis & Brusca. Watching a loved one suffer is horrible. We know that injuries that you may be unsure of how to move forward.  Speak with us for guidance.  There is no obligation and our team can provide critical legal guidance. Contact Davis & Brusca today to schedule a free consultation so that we may begin reviewing your case and mapping out a course of action for your loved one.

Q/A Series: Negligence Complaints Against a Nursing Home

One day, you might realize that the facility you so carefully researched and selected may be responsible for your loved one’s abuse, neglect, injury, or death. If you may need to hire a nursing home negligence lawyer in Trenton, NJ, review these questions and answers to better understand the situation.

Q. What Should I Do if I Suspect Nursing Home Negligence?

Once you suspect wrongdoing, document your findings. Take preliminary photos and make notes of your conversations with your loved one, nurses, and staff. It is also best to take your loved one out of the facility while investigating the possibility of negligence.

Q. Where Can I File My Nursing Home Complaint?

You may file your allegations of nursing home negligence with the New Jersey Office of The Long-Term Care Ombudsman, the nursing home administrator, or a nursing home negligence lawyer. Davis & Brusca Trial Lawyers can help assess the situation, file a negligence complaint, and build your case.

Q. What Is a Long-Term Care Ombudsman?

A long-term care ombudsman is an independent representative. He or she will work with you individually, for free, to advocate for your loved one living in a nursing home and investigate your complaint.

Q. What Is a Nursing Home Administrator?

A nursing home administrator is a licensed individual who manages and coordinates the nursing home’s day-to-day operations. The care of your loved one is under the administrator’s leadership.

Q. What Is a Nursing Home Negligence Lawyer?

You can hire a nursing home negligence lawyer in Trenton, NJ, if seeking a lawsuit. He or she can confirm if you have a case and its likely outcomes. The lawyer can investigate your claim and make a civil case against the nursing home, its staff, or administration.

Q. What Damages Can I Collect?

You could collect both economic and non-economic damages. Economic damages would address your loved one’s incurred expenses attributed to the facility’s negligence, while non-economic damages would address pain and suffering, both emotional and physical.

Q. What Are the Possible Outcomes of a Civil Case?

A civil case may provide you with monetary compensation. You, as the plaintiff, must prove your case.

The nursing home may approach you to settle out of the courtroom. Agreeing to a settlement can provide you with monetary compensation more quickly than going to trial.

You can choose not to settle and take your case to trial instead. A jury will hear your case and weigh the evidence during a trial. After reaching a verdict through deliberation, the jury may or may not award monetary compensation accordingly. Davis & Brusca Trial lawyers know nursing home negligence laws and can help you build your case and guide your decisions.

Schedule a Consultation with a Nursing Home Negligence Lawyer Trenton, NJ Respects

If your loved one has suffered abuse or neglect in a nursing home, you should contact a nursing home negligence lawyer in Trenton, NJ without delay.  The experienced nursing home attorneys from Davis & Brusca, LLC can investigate to see if your elder’s abuse or neglect was caused by understaffing or another deficiency. Contact an attorney at Davis & Brusca, LLC to provide your loved one with access to advice and assistance which only one of the best teams of attorneys in New Jersey can provide.  We have the skill to provide you with the help you need, and we can seek the financial compensation you and your family deserve. Schedule a consultation with our Trenton, NJ nursing home negligence lawyers today!

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