A retirement home should be a safe place where seniors can live out their sunset years in comfort and peace. When, instead of support and care, a loved one is subjected to neglect or abuse at a nursing home, you must take action quickly. To hold the responsible party accountable, you will need to consult a knowledgeable attorney with experience in nursing home neglect. There are many examples of nursing home negligence, and all victims deserve recompense for the injuries they have suffered.
Key Takeaways
- Common types of negligence: Nursing home negligence often includes falls, bedsores, medication errors, improper feeding, and lack of supervision.
- Staffing shortages contribute: Understaffed facilities increase the risk of neglect, delayed care, and preventable accidents.
- Documentation is critical: Proper medical records and incident reports help establish patterns of negligence in legal claims.
- Family vigilance matters: Families who monitor care, report concerns, and communicate with staff can prevent or reduce harm.
- Legal recourse is available: Victims of nursing home negligence may file lawsuits to seek compensation for injuries, medical costs, and pain and suffering.
Nursing Home Negligence & Abuse
All nursing homes are expected to exercise a certain standard of care to prevent accidents and injuries. If a facility’s operators, administrators, or staff members are negligent or engage in outright abuse, causing a patient to suffer an injury, the nursing home may be held responsible. This can include several different types of negligence and abuse:
- Emotional neglect (emotional or social abuse such as verbal attacks, punishments, repeatedly ignoring a senior, or leaving a senior alone for a very long period)
- Personal hygiene neglect (failure to help seniors with personal hygiene activities such as laundry, cleaning, and bathing)
- Basic needs neglect (failure to provide for essential human needs like food, water, safety, and a clean environment)
- Medical neglect (failure to address medical concerns, causing a senior to fall, overmedicating, improperly trained staff, etc.)
- Abuse (sexual assault, physical assault, verbal abuse)
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Examples of Nursing Home Negligence
To get a better idea of what nursing home negligence can entail, review this list of examples:
- Advanced stage bedsores (i.e., pressure ulcers)
- Malnutrition
- Dehydration
- Undiagnosed medical conditions
- Overmedication
- Falling from bed
- Falling from walking without assistance (when a supportive device was needed)
- Falling on wet or slippery floors
- Tripping on dangling cords
- Excessive restraint
- Physical abuse
- Emotional abuse and punishment
- Wandering off the premises
- Improper use of medical equipment
- Sexual assault by staff, visitors, or residents
- Physical assault by staff, visitors, or residents
- Accidents unnoticed due to missing or inoperative alarms or call buttons
- Negligence caused by inadequate staff levels
- Negligence caused by untrained staff members
- Negligence caused by poor supervision
An injurious fall is a common example of nursing home negligence. As seniors tend to be quite frail, a single fall can result in broken bones or hips. The injury may leave the victim bedridden and in great pain. In some cases, a fall can even hasten a senior’s death.
Any of these forms of negligence or abuse can cause an injury, whether the damage is mental or physical. Identifying the warning signs of neglect can be difficult, however, so it is important that you keep an eye out for your loved one’s well-being while they are living in a nursing home. If you notice injuries, weight loss, malnutrition, changes in behavior, unfriendly interaction between your loved one and the nursing home staff, or environmental hazards, don’t be afraid to speak up. You may be able to prevent a serious injury or further abuse, and you can hold the nursing home staff responsible.
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Have You or a Loved One Suffered One of These Examples of Nursing Negligence or Abuse?
When you’re ready to pursue litigation, contact Dempsey Kingsland Osteen. With help from our expert medical staff, we can help you obtain full and appropriate damages by applying our expertise to prove liability. To get started, please call us at (816) 484-3776, complete our online contact form, or contact our chatline. We offer a free consultation, and we do not charge you unless we obtain compensation for you. We get paid when you get paid.
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