Serving Nursing Home And Assisted Living Residents Throughout Connecticut And New York
As baby boomers age, more and more will need convalescent care or skilled nursing assistance in nursing home or long-term care facilities. The care home industry is a big business.
Millions of aging Americans live in nursing homes, most of which are run by for-profit businesses. Some elder care facilities put profit before resident care, resulting in damaging negligence and abuse.
When Can You Sue A Long-Term Health Care Facility For Negligence?
Nursing homes, convalescent homes and elder care facilities may be held legally responsible when an act of negligence or abuse causes harm to a patient or resident. Following are some examples of situations in which nursing homes, convalescent homes and elder care facilities may be held liable for when their negligence or abuse causes injury to a patient or resident. If your loved one is a resident of a nursing home in Connecticut or New York and has experienced any signs of negligence or abuse, immediately contact an attorney knowledgeable in nursing home negligence. At The Law Offices of Patrick J. Filan P.C., Mr. Filan has both the experience and compassion his clients have trusted to seek justice for their loved ones. You may call his office at 203-349-8074 to learn more about your legal options in a free consultation.
Has Your Loved One Been Injured In A Nursing Home Fall?
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), injuries from falls result in hundreds of thousands of hospitalizations annually. Many of these could be considered preventable visits to the hospital emergency departments. In elderly patients, nursing home falls frequently result in life-altering disabilities, functional decline, reduced independence, reduced quality of life, and often hasten death. As many 1,800 elderly patients die each year as a result of nursing home falls.
Proper fall prevention programs can prevent nursing home falls. Best practices require nursing homes to take the time to assess new patients for fall risks, to provide careful monitoring of at risk residents, and to make modifications to ensure safer patient safety and mobility. Nursing home staff must maintain a high degree of education to ensure nursing home fall prevention. Staff should also be aware of any nursing home patients that have a particularly high risk for falling. Necessary mobility devices should be accessible and well maintained. Failure to supply a safe environment for patients is grounds for a nursing home negligence lawsuit. Environmental hazards present a risk for patients. Some examples include:
- Inadequate or dim lighting, making it hard for patients to see well enough to walk
- Wet or slippery floors which are unsafe to elderly patients with mobility and balance problems
- Beds, chairs, or mobility devices that are not made easily accessible by staff for the resident
- Unsafe and inaccessible bathrooms lacking proper seats, wall handles, and no-slip flooring
Medication Errors In Nursing Homes
The National Coordinating Committee on Medication Error Reporting and Prevention defines a medication error as “any preventable event that may cause or lead to inappropriate medication use or patient harm while the medication is in the control of the health care professional, patient, or consumer.” (www.nccmerp.org/about-medication-errors. © 2021 National Coordinating Council for Medication Error Reporting and Prevention.)
Examples Of Negligent Medication Errors
Understaffing, poor communication, and carelessness may result in harm caused to patients or residents of nursing homes due to medication errors. These errors include:
- Dosage errors
- Incorrect medication administration in multiple doses
- Administration of expired and ineffective medication
- Incorrect time, duration or rate of medication administration
- Administering medication to the Incorrect patient
- Administering medication based on an outdated medication order
- Ignoring medication orders
- Negligent medication management including failing to renew medication orders when required
Negligent Hiring And Supervision Of Nursing Home Staff
Owners, operators and managers of nursing homes and other health care facilities may be held liable for negligence in hiring an unqualified employee who ends up neglecting, abusing or otherwise intentionally harming a patient. This also includes failure to properly train and supervise employees.
Medical And Nursing Malpractice In Nursing Homes
When nursing homes provide medical and nursing care they may be held liable for failure to provide adequate medical treatment as required by accepted medical and nursing standard of care.