The Many Ways in Which Nursing Homes Can Be Negligent… and the Harm that Can Result from that Negligence
Nursing home negligence cases are particularly distressing because they represent a failure by someone (or several someones) to provide the standard of care that they should, and that failure resulted in someone’s beloved friend or family member getting hurt… or worse. Nursing homes and nursing home employees have both an ethical and a legal obligation to provide quality care to their residents. When a resident is hurt due to negligence, there may be a claim for compensation. To learn more about your rights and your options, contact and experienced Massachusetts nursing home negligence attorney about your case.
A report from the Salem News regarding the state of a nursing home in Essex County provided an example of the harm that can happen. An inspection report created by state inspectors laid out a long list of alleged errors by the Essex County facility’s staff. Some of the alleged varieties of misconduct were less severe in terms of risk of physical harm. Residents of the nursing home alleged that the staff mocked or insulted them in foreign languages and also gave the residents nothing to do, even during scheduled activity times, according to the report.
Other wrongdoing, however, was more concerning. The report asserted that, in one instance, a patient with a broken leg was left in bed for more than 24 hours before being transported to a hospital. The staff allowed the resident, who had “end-stage dementia,” to remain in bed despite the resident’s periodic cries of pain. In another instance, an employee allegedly pushed a resident while trying to get the resident into bed, the Newsindicated.
Unfortunately, these types of actions take place too often in nursing homes in this state. There are a variety of facts that may point to a nursing home resident’s suffering harm due to negligence. One relatively more common medical issue is untreated pressure ulcers, commonly known as bed sores. Bed sores can be a sign that a nursing home resident who requires being moved periodically by staff is not getting moved as he/she should. Untreated bed sores can be an indication that the facility’s staff are not only not moving residents as they should, but failing to check up on the residents’ overall wellbeing in the manner they should.
Other medical problems may be signs that the nursing home is understaffed or is otherwise failing to provide proper care to residents. These can include dehydration, malnutrition or insufficient aid with hygiene or sanitary cleanliness.
Another source of injuries among nursing home residents is falls. Nursing home resident falls can happen for a variety of reasons that can trace back to negligence. A fall may be the result of neglect (whether due to understaffing or other reasons), such as failing to help a resident get in or out of bed, or to/from the bathroom. Falls can also result from a failure to follow a resident’s care plan properly. This failure can lead to a resident possibly wandering and then experiencing a fall.
Skilled Plymouth County nursing home negligence attorney Michael S. Mehrmann has spent many years effectively representing people from across Plymouth County, including Kingston, Plymouth, Marshfield, Hanson, Carver, Pembroke, and Duxbury in their personal injury and wrongful death cases. To find out more about how we can help you get the compensation you deserve, call (781) 585-3911 or contact us online.