When is an Injury to a Nursing Home Resident Eligible for a Claim?
Nursing Home Attorneys
If your loved one suffered a serious injury while in the care of a nursing home, you may wish to speak with a nursing home lawyer. In the most serious of cases, when the injury is fatal, a surviving family member may be eligible to pursue legal action against the nursing home to recover their damages. A nursing home lawyer can review your case and let you know the value of your claim and a lawyer may be a good fit for representing your loved one or family. Laws that involve nursing home abuse, elder abuse, and personal injuries can be complex and seemingly arbitrary at times. Attorney can help guide your family through this difficult time as you navigate your way toward justice. Contact a law firm today to learn more.
What is a personal injury?
A personal injury is one that is caused by one party that results in harm to another party. The personal injury may be physical, mental, or emotional. In the context of a nursing home injury, if the damage associated with the injury is substantial, the victim has the right to hire a nursing home lawyer to seek compensation for their damages. If the victim is unable to make important decisions on their own behalf, a judge may determine that a close family member can make those decisions on their behalf. This includes authorizing legal action against the nursing home.
What are examples of common nursing home injuries?
Because residents live full time in the nursing home, virtually any injury they suffer might be considered a nursing home injury. However, the injuries that are most commonly associated with nursing homes are those that are usually involved in claims filed by a nursing home lawyer because they caused significant harm. They include:
- Slip and fall accident that results in broken or fractured bones, severe bruising, or deep cuts. In an elderly person, such injuries can easily lead to a more serious or fatal condition.
- Bedsores from not being turned in bed often enough. A bedsore is extremely painful and often leads to life-threatening infection. Treatment of a bedsore is also extremely painful.
- Pain and suffering as a result of physical, mental, or emotional injury.
- Broken bones that result from impact with a hard surface such as a wall or as a symptom of a disease such as brittle bone disease. If the resident suffers from a condition that puts them at higher risk for injury, they should receive adequate preventative care.
- A worsening of an existing condition because the resident’s medication regime was not properly managed by staff members. Dosages that are too high, too little, or skipped altogether can cause the resident to suffer serious or even irreparable harm. In some instances, particularly if a prescription medication overdose was involved, can be fatal.
If your loved one was harmed while in the care of a nursing home, contact nursing home attorneys to learn what your legal options are in seeking justice.