NURSING HOME NEGLIGENCE
THE LAW OFFICES OF SLOANE L. FISH, LLC handles cases for those individuals who have been injured as a result of nursing home abuse or negligence. Often, nursing home negligence cases involve claims of neglect or abuse as the result of inadequate and/or improper care.
Due to a lack of supervision, serious fall injuries can occurr as well as bed sores, malnutrition and dehydration.
Regardless of age, current medical conditions or past medical history, it is our belief that nursing, rehabilitation and assisted living facilities should be held accountable for the care that they provide residents and patients.
Bedsores or Decubitus Ulcers
Bed sores are preventable with proper care. Proper nutrition and repositioning of the patient is critical in the prevention of bedsores.
Bedsores are caused by constant pressure on an area of the skin. The pressure tends to be greatest on bony areas where there is less cushioning.
Since bed sores are usually located in areas covered by clothing, family members oftent don't recognize them until they become severe.
Sores are much more likely to develop in people who are at high risk due to one or more factors. When an individual is identified as being at risk for pressure sores, specific measures should be taken to significantly reduce or even eliminate this risk. Healthcare providers (including nursing homes) should be aware of risk factors while caring for their patients. Risk factors may vary depending on certain circumstances.
Bed sores, which result from prolonged pressure, are also called “decubitus ulcers”, “pressure sores,” and “pressure ulcers.”
Some of the causes:
2. Unable to change positions without assistance
3. Bladder or bowel control problems
4. Dehydration and/or inadequate nutrition
5. Weakened mental awareness.
Bed sores cause pain along with possible infection, tissue and bone damage, and even wrongful death . If your loved one exhibits signs of itching or pain, or if you see the beginning of pressure sores, contact the law office of Sloane Fish.
Slip & Falls in Nursing Homes
Elopement or Wandering from Facilities
Our firm often sees nursing home malpractice cases arising from injuries related to patients falling while walking to the bathroom, falling out of bed, or even being dropped by a staff member.
Approximately 1,800 nursing home patients each year in the United States die from falls. They also suffer other serious injuries such as broken bones and fractured hips, which may result in the death of a loved one due to complications from the hip surgery.
Many elderly patients have problems walking alone and can also be disoriented due to a medical condition or from medications.
There are a variety of other hazards such as slippery floors, inadequate lighting, , lack of bedrails, and improperly fitted wheelchairs.
Nursing homes are trained to prevent fall injuries. However, often they are negligent while supervising patients, or even being available for a resident who calls from bed and needs to use the bathroom.
The patient may feel neglected and try to go to the bathroom without assistance, many times leading to a fall.
The patient, or a family member, should contact our firm after a fall so that we can investigate the cause. It is normally necessary to do a full investigation since these injuries may not be sufficiently documented by the nursing home staff. Many times, the patient does not have the ability to remember and describe the incident afterwards..