Nursing Home Negligence: Legal Options for Protecting Loved Ones
Nursing home abuse and neglect are becoming pressing issues, impacting millions of elderly persons each year. Signs of nursing home negligence include bedsores, dehydration, and medication errors. At Mark C. Tanenbaum, our nursing home negligence lawyers in Charleston, SC, are dedicated to preventing elder abuse. If your loved one was injured at a nursing home, you may be able to sue to recoup medical expenses and other injury-related costs.
Signs of Elder Neglect or Abuse
Elder neglect or abuse is something that often takes place over time. Remaining watchful of how your loved one is treated is crucial to helping prevent abuse. Signs of elder neglect or abuse often include:
Bedsores
When blood flow to an area is cut off for two or three hours, a patient may develop bedsores. Bedridden patients require constant turning to keep these pressure ulcers from developing. Bedsores are a clear indication of neglect, showing that the nursing staff is not routinely checking on a patient.
Dehydration
Roughly 40% of nursing home residents are chronically dehydrated, making it a growing problem in the elder community. Dehydration may be caused by not drinking enough water, electrolyte imbalances, running a fever, and increased urination (common in the older population). Dehydration in the elderly can cause urinary tract infections and other health complications. It is the responsibility of nursing home staff to monitor each patient’s fluid intake and to alert a member of the medical team if a patient shows signs of dehydration.
Medication Errors
Medication errors for the elderly can have serious or fatal consequences. Examples include administering the wrong dose, mixing up medications between patients, or failing to stay on schedule. The error may be due to uneducated staff members or understaffing.
Poor Hygiene
Poor hygiene can be seen in patients who have not been bathed for days, who need to be changed into clean clothing, or who emit a foul odor. Poor hygiene can result in other health issues and is often a sign of understaffing.
Unexplainable Financial Changes
Unexplained withdrawals from the person’s bank account, changes to the deed of their house, and other financial changes are signs of financial abuse. By remaining vigilant with account activity, financial exploitation can be caught sooner.
Steps to Preserve an Elder Abuse Claim
If you have reason to believe that your loved one has been taken advantage of by nursing home staff, you should document the abuse. If you observed the abuse first-hand, you should record your observations, the names of the staff involved, and what injuries occurred.
You should then report the abuse to the nursing home supervisor and ask what steps they are going to take to resolve the issue. Additionally, you should report the abuse to the Department of Adult Protective Services (under the South Carolina Department of Social Services), which will investigate further.
Your final step should be speaking with our Charleston nursing home negligence lawyers. Our legal team will conduct an independent investigation to determine exactly what happened and who is legally responsible. If necessary, we will subpoena witnesses to testify under oath. Our objective is to uncover the truth, which can only be accomplished through fierce advocacy.
Our Nursing Home Negligence Attorneys Can Help Today
When it comes to having a family member in a nursing home, sometimes relatives fear that interfering with their care will only be harmful. However, nursing home negligence can only be caught when you are aware of your family member’s living situation. If your loved one has been injured while living at a nursing home, Mark C. Tanenbaum would like to speak with you. Our team of legal professionals is equipped to investigate nursing home abuse or neglect.
To arrange your free consultation with one of our Charleston nursing home negligence lawyers, contact us online or call (843) 577-5100 today.