Nursing Home Malpractice

According to statistics from the CDC, there are 1.6 million residents currently living in nursing homes. With that many people living under the care of others it only stands to reason that mistakes and negligence is occurring on a regular basis. In fact, studies show that approximately 30% of all nursing homes are liable for some form of malpractice. But what constitutes nursing home malpractice? It’s important to know because chances are that at some point you or someone love will be living in such a facility.

Nursing homes are often under staffed, so their employees are subsequently over worked to compensate. Mistakes are easily made when someone has not rested enough or is rushing because they have so much to do. These mistakes can result in injury, or even death of the patients who are left in the care of these employees. Many facilities also fail to properly train orderlies and other workers, which can also lead to abuse, neglect or negligence. It’s often a dangerous, even deadly, combination of these things that lead to cases of nursing home malpractice.

Some general examples of nursing home malpractice include:

• Medication errors
• Pain that goes untreated
• Slip and fall
• Bedsores
• Neglect
• Malnutrition
• Unexplained ailments
• Emotional abuse
• Infections
• Poor hygiene
• Financial abuse

Of course, these are only a few of the many problems that arise when there is a nursing home facility is negligent. So what steps should you take if you suspect that someone you love is a victim of this type of malpractice? They have legal rights, and those rights should be exercised, even if you have to do so on their behalf.

Report any suspected abuse or neglect to your local law enforcement authorities. It’s also a good idea to speak with an attorney, particularly one who specializes in elder care and/or nursing home malpractice. He or she will review your claim, determine if you have a case, and if so, help you gather the evidence needed to file a claim against the negligent parties.

Nursing home negligence is a crime and it’s not to be taken lightly. There are laws in place to protect those vulnerable members of our society who rely on the employees of these facilities for their long term care. Reporting abuse and neglect, and bringing lawsuits against those who are guilty of these crimes is critical in preventing further cases from arising.