Nearly 1.4 million people are cared for in over 15,600 nursing homes around the United States according to the CDC. These elderly loved ones need compassionate and competent care by nursing home staff, and that type of care cannot be properly administered when staff is overworked and stretched thin due to understaffing. As disclosed in … Read more
Nursing homes do not just serve as a permanent residency for elderly people who can no longer live on their own. They also serve as a temporary residency for anyone who cannot return directly home after undergoing surgery in a hospital. In these cases, the nursing home serves as a rehabilitation facility for people of … Read more
If you or a loved one was subject to nursing home neglect during a stay at a nursing home, it may be confusing how it happened and who was at fault. The nursing staff at the nursing home have different training, roles, and responsibilities so not all may be equally culpable. Below are summaries of … Read more
When you or a loved one suffer a serious injury at a nursing home in New Jersey, you will likely focus on the nursing staff for being at fault. The nurses at the home are the ones who regularly treat you and with whom you have the most contact. However the person who is ultimately … Read more
Every year, many patients die from a facility acquired bed sore because of poor medical care or improper monitoring. Bed Sores, also known as pressure ulcers, pressure sores or decubitus ulcers, are preventable wounds caused by unrelieved pressure on the skin. They may be a result of nursing home abuse or neglect, or hospital negligence. … Read more
A slip and fall at a nursing home can be devastating given the circumstances why someone is a resident there. You can have an elderly family member for whom a slip and fall can be a devastating and life altering event. Or you or a family member could be in the nursing home because you … Read more
Punitive damages can be difficult to achieve in any case, but especially so in medical malpractice cases. This is because ordinary negligence, or even gross negligence, does not entitle a plaintiff to a punitive damages award. In order to be awarded punitive damages a plaintiff must establish that the defendant has acted in an outrageous … Read more
If a member of your family has an accident or significant change in their medical condition – such as declining health, bed sores, etc. – while a resident at a nursing home, it must notify both your doctor and you by statute. According to the Nursing Home Reform Act §483.10(g)(14) a nursing home must immediately … Read more
If your family member or loved one is staying at a nursing home they have rights under the Nursing Home Reform Act, otherwise known as the Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1987 (OBRA), 42 CFR 483, et. seq. This includes the right to be treated with respect and dignity (42 CFR 483.10(e)). This means that … Read more
If you feel that a loved one died or was seriously injured due to a nursing home’s neglect one of the first things you should do is contact your state’s Department of Health. Most states have a number, fax, email, or online complaint form you can fill out to report nursing home neglect. In Pennsylvania … Read more