NURSING HOME NEGLIGENCE INJURY ATTORNEY IN FREDERICK, MD
Throughout Frederick, there are numerous nursing homes for the elderly community to choose when looking for professional caretakers to help them. There are multiple instances of nursing home abuse and negligence taking place within some of these facilities. Residents are vulnerable, and family and friends rely upon the facility to ensure that their loved one receives the care he or she deserves.
Family members often do not have the required skills to care for an elderly loved one, requiring that support to be provided by a nursing home. In some circumstances, not all care provided at nursing homes is performed correctly. This negligence is when nursing home injuries can occur. Neglect is a failure of the facility, its employees, or service providers to provide proper services while taking care of your loved one, and is also a failure to protect its residents from health and safety hazards.
Nursing home negligence can result in injuries such as broken bones, bedsores, pressure ulcers, dehydration, malnutrition, and other medical conditions which cause harm and even death. When this happens, it is important to immediately address the situation, which often includes obtaining legal representation to protect the rights of the injured. The nursing home injury and abuse attorneys at Whitney, LLP offer free legal consultations for potential clients interested in pursuing a claim against a nursing home for physical abuse or injuries.
WHAT IS CONSIDERED NURSING HOME ABUSE INJURY?
It is very difficult to narrow down the exact number of elderly adults that suffer from abuse or neglect every year within the United States as all cases aren’t reported. Elders are often reluctant to discuss the neglect and abuse they suffer due to fear of retaliation and embarrassment for being a victim. In 2003, the National Research Council conducted a study on elder mistreatment and found that only 1 in 14 cases of elder abuse or neglect are reported to the authorities. In 2011, Cornell University also conducted a study on the same issue and found that for every 1 case reported to facilities and agencies, 24 were unknown.
The CDC (Center for Disease Control) defines nursing home abuse as “any abuse and neglect of persons age 60 and older by a caregiver or another person in a relationship involving an expectation of trust.” Currently, there are over 3 million Americans living under the care of a nursing home who are all vulnerable to abuse by a caregiver. The CDC breaks down the maltreatment of elderly people into five categories:
- Physical abuse
- Emotional abuse
- Neglect
- Financial abuse
- Abandonment
Being equipped with the knowledge to spot the “warning signs” of abuse that can take place to a loved one can save their mental and physical health.
ELDERLY NURSING HOME NEGLECT OR ABUSE “WARNING SIGNS”
Often a family member or friend will not witness the abuse or neglect. Here is a list of “warning signs” to identify elder abuse/neglect:
- Bedsores
- Falls with injuries and/or unexplained injuries
- Malnutrition
- Dehydration
- Unsanitary conditions
- Overmedicating patient
- Sudden changes in patient behavior or prognosis
- Signs of venereal diseases or genital infections
- Staff refusing or delaying visits by the family to see the resident
- A transfer to hospital for an infection, wound care, or malnutrition
OUR FREDERICK, MD ELDER NURSING HOME NEGLIGENCE INJURY ATTORNEYS CAN HELP
If either you or a loved one has been a victim of elderly nursing home abuse, injury or negligence, you may be able to recover compensation for the physical injury and emotional distress suffered as the result of elder negligence. The Frederick elder abuse, injury and negligence lawyers at Whitney, LLP offer free legal consultations to help you understand what your options are and how to seek compensation. For help with your case, call Whitney, LLP today to schedule a consultation on your case. Our number is (410) 583-8000. There are no fees or expenses until we recover compensation for you.