When Can You Sue a Nursing Home for Negligence?

Tap to Read ➤ Nursing home abuse and neglect are more common than most people realize—of the 723 licensed nursing facilities in Illinois, approximately 41.5% are deemed below average according to Medicare data. With over 100,000 patients reliant on the c Modern Times

According to the experts at Rosenfeld Injury Lawyers LLC, elder abuse is an unfortunate fact of life for many patients reliant on nursing homes for care. There are many reasons a victim of nursing home abuse or neglect might consider filing a lawsuit against the facility, but here are five of the most common.

Bedsores Bedsores can develop on parts of the body that experience unrelieved pressure over time. Bedsores are commonly found on the legs, hips, ankles, buttocks, and back. Because nursing home staff have a legal obligation to prevent bedsores, bedsores may be a sign of negligence.

Medication Errors When medication errors occur, the error typically results from physicians prescribing the wrong medication or dosage or a staff member making an error in the drug's administration. Since medication errors can occur for several reasons, it's important to seek legal advice to determine if the error was caused by negligence.

Physical Abuse Signs of nursing home abuse include sudden behavioral changes or bruising, cuts, fractures, or burns. If you suspect that a loved one is suffering from physical abuse, pay attention to how nursing home staff acts around you and your relative when you visit. If your loved one acts differently when they're present, this may be a warning sign of abuse.

Sexual Assault Elderly sexual abuse is defined as any inappropriate, undesired sexual content against the elderly. Unfortunately, sexual abuse among the elderly is often misunderstood and rarely reported. Sexual abuse can include any type of sexual contact with elderly individuals that do not have the capacity to express nonconsent.

Emotional and Physical Neglect Systematic understaffing often creates struggles among nursing home facilities to provide adequate care to patients. Consequently, the nursing home often provides inadequate levels of supervision, which can lead to emotional and physical neglect, including delayed medical care, an orofacial pain diagnosis , and poor personal hygiene.

If you believe a loved one has experienced negligence or abuse at a nursing home, schedule a free consultation with a nursing home lawyer to learn more.