Nursing Home Injury Lawyer NJ

Not all nursing home facilities offer a high level of care, especially if the staff are underqualified or lack proper training. The residents of such a nursing home may be more likely to face abuse due to inexperienced caregivers. Family members who are concerned for their loved one’s well being, can help prevent this from happening by being involved and visiting frequently. Legal action can be taken for incidents of abuse in a nursing home. So those who believe their senior relative has endured mistreatment, may want to meet with a legal professional as soon as possible.

Q: Are all nursing home caregivers qualified?

A: Not every caregiver at a nursing home has sufficient qualifications to take care of the senior residents. Some caregivers may not have the education needed to work with those with special needs or diets. Residents may be at-risk for abuse by workers who have not received thorough training. For example, a caregiver may not know the right ways to help a senior resident out of bed without breaking fragile bones or causing other injuries.

Q: Why aren’t all the caregivers fully trained prior to being hired?

A: Nursing home facilities may have a high turnover rate. The cause of this may be due to staff getting burnt-out and fatigued from the demands of the job. So, this means the caregivers that do remain are probably stretched thin, and the staff who are not fully trained are asked to help with situations they aren’t prepared for. The facility may be so desperate for hands to help, that they hire people without sufficient education or experience.

Q: What are the ways that caregivers may abuse or neglect a resident?

A: Nursing home abuse can be mental, physical, emotional, and even financial. Caregivers may obtain access to the resident’s financial information, and make purchases or transfers for their own benefit. Caregivers may emotionally abuse the residents by mocking, making fun, threatening or using intimidating tactics. If family members notice their loved one has refused to be helped by a certain staff member or seems abnormally fearful, it may be time for further investigation. Caregivers may inflict physical abuse on the resident, particularly in moments when the resident is not being cooperative. A caregiver may cause the resident to sustain bruises, marks, cuts, and other injuries.

Q: What can I do about the abuse if I hear or witness it myself?

A: A family member of a senior resident who witnesses the abuse themselves can become immediately irate, and demand that their loved one is removed from the facility. Filing a report is a key component of taking action, in addition to gathering evidence before vacating the facility. It may be best to consult with a nursing home injury lawyer NJ offers about the situation, for advice on how to take legal action against the nursing home. The company can be held responsible for these incidents of abuse, and may have to pay the resident for the injuries and trauma endured during his or her stay.

Contact Davis & Brusca, LLC for their insight into personal injury cases and how under-qualified staff can lead to nursing home abuse or neglect.