The decision to place a loved one in a nursing home can be one of the most difficult decisions anyone ever has to make. It is not a decision to take lightly, and we expect the institutions that we trust in order to care for our loved ones treat them with both dignity and respect.
When nursing homes and staff members betray our trust, it’s a horrifying ordeal. Our loved ones are too often forced to live the remainder of their lives in fear, and many suffer serious and life-threatening injuries. Fortunately, victims of abuse and neglect have the right to seek justice.
Contact us at 216-621-3000 to schedule a free consultation with our nursing home abuse attorneys in Cleveland. We help families throughout Ohio.
Types of Cases We Handle
The Ohio Statutes contain a long list of nursing home residents' rights, including:
- The right to a safe and clean living environment;
- The right to be free from physical, verbal, mental, and emotional abuse; and
- The right to adequate and appropriate medical treatment and nursing care.
It is the general rule that a nursing home is required to exercise reasonable care to avoid physical injury and mental distress to its residents. The reasonableness of such care is to be assessed and measured in light of each individual resident’s physical and mental incapacitations. The failure to provide these services can cause additional medical problems for the elderly.
Our firm represents those who have suffered from nursing home injuries, including:
- Decubitus ulcers (bedsores);
- Restraint injuries (physical and chemical);
- Medication error injuries;
- Misdiagnosis injuries;
- Slip-and-fall accident injuries;
- Physical abuse;
- Injuries associated with “wandering,” also known as an elopement.
When handling a case involving nursing home abuse or neglect, our first priority is to protect your loved one from the dangerous situation they have been put in. We will then pursue compensation for the losses they have suffered, including their medical bills and pain and suffering.
Dehydration & Malnutrition
The lack of proper nutrition and adequate hydration, leading to malnutrition and dehydration, are clear signs a nursing home is failing to meet the duty of care owed to its residents. If it is failing this basic duty, chances are there are broader problems with the facility.
Bedsores
Decubitus ulcers, more commonly known as bedsores or pressure ulcers, happen when a person sits or lies in one position for too long. To prevent bedsores, residents confined to a bed need to be moved every two hours. If residents are developing bedsores, it is often due to inadequate attention by staff. It could also point to insufficient training of staff members.
Falls
A fall is one of the biggest dangers faced by the elderly. Weakened muscles and brittle bones are common in older adults. The elderly need more attention and monitoring when getting in and out of bed, using a bathroom, and walking for any distance in order to avoid a potential fall.
Falls cause a host of serious medical issues, from broken bones that are slow to heal, to a heightened fear by the elderly anytime they have to stand or move.
Inadequate Staffing
There are a list of other issues that can lead to residents’ pain, suffering, and wrongful death, including inadequate staffing. To save money, some facilities fail to properly equip their facilities with the appropriate number of personnel to care for the needs of their residents.
In some cases, facilities may overuse restraints (both physical and chemical) in order to make up for the shortage of employees. Understaffing can lead to unnecessary medication errors and unsupervised residents being more likely to wander off and potentially harm themselves.
In other instances, facilities may fail to invest in the resources needed to properly train staff.
Contact the Becker Law Firm, LPA
Any of the above situations could be a potential sign that a nursing home or long-term care facility is not exercising the proper duty of care to its residents as required by law.
If you or someone you love has witnessed or experienced any of the above instances in an Ohio nursing home facility, speaking with a Cleveland nursing home abuse attorney is recommended. An attorney can examine the circumstance and potential legal recourse available.
Call 216-621-3000 to discuss your options with an elder abuse lawyer in Cleveland. The Becker Law Firm will review your case for free.
