Nursing Home Neglect

Lawyers at our Connecticut law firm realize that if you have made the difficult decision to place your parent, aunt or uncle, or spouse in a long-term care facility you did it with confidence that the nursing home staff and administration would provide the care your loved one deserves. Rather than receiving proper care, some of the vulnerable adults in residential care facilities are subject to abuse or neglect.

If you know of a nursing home resident who is not receiving proper care, or you suspect abuse, it is important to see that the matter is investigated. Contact our office to make arrangements for a free consultation about nursing home neglect. A lawyer from our firm will meet with you, and if appropriate, visit the care facility to meet with the resident. Our attorneys will help you determine whether neglect or abuse exists, and how to proceed to protect your friend or family member. In the most extreme case, where a nursing home fatality has occurred, the family may be entitled to a wrongful death claim.

Claims for nursing home abuse or neglect, a type of medical malpractice, may involve a broad range of actions or omissions on the part of aides, nurses, pharmacists, and administrators, all of whom are held to a high standard of professional responsibility. Cost-cutting policies may result in inadequate staffing or poor nutrition. Poorly trained or supervised personnel may make serious errors in care. We carefully investigate the root cause of every nursing home accident or omission in care.

Cases lawyers at the firm are prepared to handle include those involving:

Bed Sores: The failure of staff and administration to provide airbeds and turn patients on a regular schedule may result in bed sores (pressure sores), sometimes so severe that the ulcers expose muscle and bone.

Nursing Home Falls: The failure of staff to provide proper assistance or supervision to a patient getting in or out of a bed, wheelchair, or the lavatory, may result in a fall. Elderly patients heal slowly, are prone to infection and blood clots, and may never recover from a hip fracture or other fall injury.

Poor Supervision: Proper alarms, locks, and supervision will prevent a patient from wandering off the grounds of the facility or into unsafe situations.

Poor Nutrition, Hydration, or Personal Hygiene: There are legal requirements regarding diet, hydration, and hygiene. If you are concerned about malnutrition, dehydration, or incontinence care, discuss the issue with an outside professional.

Wrongful Imprisonment: It is the responsibility of the nursing home administration and staff to provide appropriate supervision so that residents can live under the least restrictive circumstances safely. Unnecessary use of restraints or ties, restriction from exercise or activity, may constitute abuse.

Physical and Emotional Abuse: Failure of the administration to perform criminal background checks, employment checks, training, and supervision has in some cases resulted in physical or emotional abuse, including sexual assault and other violent assault by staff or other nursing home residents. If you notice a resident with bruises, or suffering from depression or anxiety, the underlying problem may be abuse.

Financial Exploitation: Individuals may take advantage of lapses in memory or judgment on the part of the elderly, convincing them to sign assets over. Some cases have even involved elopement.

If you are concerned about the care of a nursing home resident or resident in an assisted living or home care situation please call or e-mail our firm and make arrangements to discuss the issue with an attorney.

For more information about medical malpractice, wrongful death, and personal injury claims, we have provided the following resources:

• Frequently asked questions on personal injury and wrongful death
• Medical Malpractice Information Center
• Personal Injury and Wrongful Death E-Newsletters