Don't Forget The Enduring Damage Nursing Home Neglect Leaves Behind
If you ever need a reminder of the lingering impact nursing home neglect has on an individual, take a look at a a Post-Tribune article, "Woman who sued Northlake nursing home for malpractice dies". As a society, we frequently forget about how victims of nursing home neglect frequently suffer long after a lawsuit is is resolved or news story is published. The Post-Tribune article highlights how Mary Ann Jackson fought for years to live with horrible bed sore injuries she sustained during an admission Northlake Nursing and Rehabilitation Center in Merrillville, IN (now closed). What started as an 'ordinary' admission...
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Are Protective Agencies Doing Enough To Protect Nursing Home Patients?
When it comes down to it, absent situations involving serious crimes where police are involved, it is up to regulatory agencies-- primarily those within the state-- to ensure that nursing home patients are properly looked after when they are in a facility. But, what happens when the agencies with this important responsibility fail to properly do their jobs and situations involving poor care are permitted to exist-- or even flourish after the agency has supposedly disciplined the facility. I suspect that if you ask Tom Masseau of the Michigan Protection and Advocacy Services (MPAS), he'd suggest that the state's regulatory...
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Nursing Home Chain Hit With Landmark Verdict In Under-Staffing Class Action Lawsuit
I guess there's probably a lot a screaming and yelling going on at the Skilled Healthcare Group (SKH) headquarters in California. Perhaps the anger derives from the miserable looking financial chart for the company showing a whopping 75% decline in price per share in one day! Another portion of the companies anger is probably being misdirected at the lawyers who defended the company in a class action lawsuit brought against Skilled Healthcare based on systematic under-staffing at 22 nursing homes owned by the corporate giant. Really, the only people to blame are the managers in the company who intentionally chose...
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Nursing Home Injury Laws
In times of need, locating necessary information regarding the legal rights and resources for nursing home patients can be difficult and imposing. In this respect, we are proud to introduce a new resource for patients, families and practitioners looking for a concise compilation of information regarding nursing home laws. Nursing Home Injury Laws, provides every states': Nursing Home Laws Medical Malpractice Laws State Resources Applicable State Code Common Nursing Home Injuries Glossary Recognized Books & Journals Nursing Home FAQ Additionally, we will be posting regular updates regarding important developments relevant to nursing home care within each state. Here is a...
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Elder Abuse: Why Bruises Can Be Tell-Tale Signs Of Poor Care
Perhaps there is no more visual reminder of abuse or mistreatment than a bruise. The discoloration is not only ugly in appearance, but it can also be a source of pain for the individual. Because bruising can be a relatively common occurrence in the elderly, I think its important to learn more about this medical condition and hopefully become better at identifying a bruise due to mistreatment vs. the normal aging process. What is a bruise? Bruises can result after an injury, a fall, or even bumping into something. A bruise (contusion) is an injury to the soft tissue that results...
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Most Nursing Home Deaths Remain Uninvestigated
In an effort to identify instances of nursing home abuse and neglect, the Illinois Department of Public Health has implemented a death reporting program in ten counties in Illinois. The pilot program requires nursing homes to immediately report nursing home deaths to the county coroner. Once reported, it is up to the county coroner to investigate the facts surrounding the death and determine if the death was related to nursing home abuse or neglect. From July 1, 2007 through June 30, 2008, 8 suspicious deaths were attributed to mistreatment in nursing homes out of a reported 3,669 total nursing home deaths. The pilot program empowered...
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Southern Illinois Nursing Home Sued For Resident's Decubitus Ulcers
A lawsuit was recently filed against the Virgil Calvert Nursing and Rehabilitation Center by a former resident. The lawsuit alleges the Illinois Nursing Home's neglect caused decubitus ulcers to develop a formers resident's body. The female resident claims the ulcers have caused her to suffer severe pain, disability and extensive medical expenses related to their treatment. Multiple violations of the Nursing Home Care Act, including failing to administer proper medication and providing the resident with necessary treatment to prevent the development of the decubitus ulcers are alleged The lawsuit also names SW Management Company, the parent company of the nursing...
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When To Contact A Nursing Home Attorney?
In situations where there has been a specific incident involving a serious injury or abuse, the nursing home resident themselves or their family will seek out the advice of a nursing home attorney for representation. The majority of nursing home neglect cases are far more subtle and many people are hesitant to seek out an attorney. The best rule of thumb is to trust your instinct. If something doesn't seem right--it's probably not. Because most cases of nursing home neglect involve ongoing mistreatment, it is important to contact an attorney when you begin to suspect the nursing home may be...
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Video: New York Nursing Home Worker Caught On Tape
A video has surfaced regarding a recent blog post that shows nurses at a New York nursing home abusing and neglecting their residents. The use of video camera has lead to 26 arrests of nursing home workers. It is scary to think what other criminal acts these nurses may have done in the course of their employment that WAS NOT caught on tape. ...
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Do Lawsuits Help Or Hinder Nursing Home Care?
Eyes On Living had an interesting blog post recently 'Florida Nursing Home Abuse Lawsuits Increasing Thanks To Aggressive Lawyers.' The article is a little tongue in cheek with respect to how attorneys want to help victims out of the kindness of their own heart, but the author does acknowledge that lawsuits filed in states with a substantial elderly population has actually improved the quality of nursing home care. This got me thinking about the impact of nursing home litigation has on the overall care received by nursing home residents. Do nursing home lawsuits have an impact on the...
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