San Diego Nursing Home Injury Lawyer
Nursing home injuries are becoming more and more common. In some cases the reason is the resident’s age and condition. But in most cases nursing home injuries are the predictable result of business decisions made by for-profit corporations that make millions of dollars each year. These decisions place the shareholder ahead of the people they are supposed to be caring for, which frequently results in nursing home injuries. In other words, the emphasis on profits over people results in more nursing home injuries, including death. These injuries often occur due to simple neglect, abuse, or understaffed facilities and poorly trained employees.
Nursing home injuries are a sure sign of abuse and/or neglect. It is the responsibility of the nursing home to provide your loved one with a safe environment, and if they fail to do so, they should be held legally responsible. Contact attorney Joel Bryant today for a free legal consultation.
What to Do About Nursing Home Injuries
An injury of any severity, including emotional trauma, sustained while in the care of a nursing home can reduce the victim’s quality of life. If a loved one has suffered any of these injuries, contact an experienced California nursing home abuse attorney right away. Doing so can help prevent future injuries for your loved one and other residents. It can also lead to greater accountability for the nursing home management and compensation for your loved one’s suffering.
Contact our San Diego nursing home injury lawyer by calling (619) 597-2577 today!
The Elder Litigation Team Can Help
Excessive Restraint
Excessive restraint (including physical restraints, such as straps and bed rails, and chemical restraints) is a form of abuse and/or neglect. Excessive restraint inhibits an elder’s mobility and quality of life and can lead to injuries, including damaged skin and open sores. Restraint can also result in weakened muscle and bones as a result of less usage, which can lead to a higher risk of fractures.
Even more common is the improper use of chemical restraints, which occurs when a nursing homes over medicates residents so they remain docile and sleepy. By keeping some of their residents over medicated, the nursing home can reduce the amount of staffing and supervision required to monitor its residents, particularly residents who require more supervision due to their mental and physical needs. In addition to depriving elders of dignity, respect and quality of life, such improper use of chemical restraints can cause long-term damage to the elder’s brain and well-being.
Types of Injuries in Nursing Homes
There are a wide variety of injuries that can be sustained while an elder is in the care of a nursing home facility. Unfortunately, as nursing homes become more crowded, residents are at a high risk of suffering an injury. Some common injuries that an elder may sustain while in the care of a nursing home include but are not limited to the following:
Bedsores
Nursing home bedsores, also known as pressure sores, pressure ulcers, or decubitus ulcers, are caused by a lack of blood flow and oxygen to the skin. Failing to frequently turn and reposition an elder in their bed or a wheelchair can cause bedsores. Additionally, failing to provide the elder with proper nutrition and keep their skin dry can result in bedsores getting much worse. Pressure ulcers commonly develop on areas with prominent bones beneath thin layers of skin, such as the coccyx, sacrum, lower back, and heels. The severity of a bedsore can range greatly, from mild bedsores appearing as minor skin reddening, to severe bed sores appearing as deep wounds that expose muscle and bone. Pressure ulcers are preventable, though very painful and uncomfortable.
Physical Abuse
Physical abuse, or the intentional use of physical force that results in bodily injury, is rampant in California nursing homes. This kind of abuse can include the following injuries:
- Fractured or Broken Bones
- Burning
- Pushing, Shoving, Shaking
- Kicking
- Scratching
- Biting
- Bruising, Wounding, Welts, Scaring
Malnutrition & Dehydration
Many residents suffer from malnutrition and dehydration in California nursing homes. Lack of proper nutrition can trigger health problems ranging from bed sores to heart disease to severe weight loss. Lack of proper hydration can also have severe health implications, such as a urinary tract infection or even kidney failure.
Malnutrition and dehydration are sure signs of nursing home neglect and indicate that a resident is not receiving basic care and attention. When serious, malnutrition and dehydration can lead to death.
Slips & Falls
Falling or slipping can lead to serious injury and even death for elderly individuals. Residents in nursing homes are at a significantly increased risk of falling. Injuries from falls can include bruises, fractured bones, internal bleeding, and head injuries.
Even more common is the improper use of chemical restraints, which occurs when a nursing homes over medicates residents so they remain docile and sleepy. By keeping some of their residents over medicated, the nursing home can reduce the amount of staffing and supervision required to monitor its residents, particularly residents who require more supervision due to their mental and physical needs. In addition to depriving elders of dignity, respect and quality of life, such improper use of chemical restraints can cause long-term damage to the elder’s brain and well-being.
Contact Attorney Bryant Today for a Free Consultation
If your loved one has suffered injuries in a nursing home, contact San Diego elder abuse attorney Joel Bryant today for a free, confidential consultation. Mr. Bryant has been litigating complex nursing home injury cases for more than twenty years. Call our office today to explore your legal options.
Learn more about how we can help you. Contact us online or call (619) 597-2577 today!
In Their Own Words
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"Mr. Bryant and his staff were always available to answer our questions and concerns."Eugenia A.
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"Joel used creativity and attention to details of complex corporate matters to move the case to settlement within six months of filing."Robert H.
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"They were very professional, honest, compassionate, and supportive."Brent R.