Nursing Home Negligence Cases Cited Across the Country

Nursing homes in America today are often considered to be a catch 22 for those trying to seek care for an elderly loved one and to relieve the burden of in-home care. But at the same time, it can be a risky venture when the life of an elderly or disabled loved one is placed in the hands of strangers. With reports of malpractice, negligence and abuse seemingly everywhere in the news, nursing homes can often seem the farthest thing from a safe-haven for a family member. However it is important to know all the facts and thus be able to best help a family member. 

Nursing Home Abuse In Disguise 

There are many forms of malpractice, negligence and abuse that can occur in a nursing home. However, most nursing homes are considered to be safe and at or above government standards. The bottom line is that it can be a gamble to put a loved one in a nursing home without properly evaluating the care provided. For this reason it is important to know how to rate nursing homes and what to do if malpractice occurs, especially for a family member or executor of an estate. For example, if it is suspected that malpractice or abuse is occurring, individuals should to meet with an experienced nursing home attorney who specializes in nursing home negligence to ensure the proper steps are taken to improve the situation for an elderly loved one.

Nursing Homes Abuse: A Deadly Mistake

One of the most important things an individual should be aware of in evaluating nursing homes is the different ways abuse and malpractice can occur. An example of this was recently reported by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The FDA found malpractice occurring in several nursing homes and assisted living facilities (ALF) across the country specifically in medication mix-ups that caused the deaths of several elderly or disabled individuals and injured many others. In information recently released, the FDA found that over the last four years several nursing homes had reports of alleged medication mix-ups. The nursing homes had been providing patients with what should have been medical grade oxygen, which in fact ended up being a different gas completely, including in one instance, a cryogenic vessel of industrial grade nitrogen, leading to deadly nursing home malpractice.

The FDA cited several specific examples of instances where individuals working in a nursing home unknowingly connected vessels of not only nitrogen but also carbon dioxide into what should have been oxygen hookups. This error can cause pain and quite frequently death for innocent, elderly patients who should be receiving the most important type of care in their remaining years. If this type of negligence occurs and the result is the death of a loved one, it is important to know where to find help. It is advisable for a family to seek the counsel of an expert nursing home attorney for consultation and to discuss the possibility of a nursing home lawsuit. A nursing home lawsuit not only helps in retrieving compensation for the pain and suffering that was incurred, but to ensure that a nursing home with a record of malpractice and negligence receives punishment so that no one else must suffer unnecessarily.

Nursing Home Neglect: Untrained Employees

 In these reports released by the FDA, it was found that employees who worked at the nursing homes facing these allegations did not properly examine the labels on the gas vessels. In addition to this, employees were found to have been improperly trained for the positions they held. Not only is this direct negligence on behalf of a nursing home director, who is responsible for the hiring and training of quality individuals, it is and was found to have caused the deaths of many individuals over the last several years. 

This kind of complete nursing home negligence, which has resulted in the deaths and injuries of many elderly or disabled individuals who are placed in a nursing home or ALF to receive attentive care and medical relief, is unacceptable in today’s society.

Finding a Solution to Nursing Home Malpractice

While there is no way to prepare oneself or protect a loved one from the kind of unexpected nursing home abuse that might occur, it is possible to provide individuals with the knowledge necessary to decrease the risk of abuse. Most importantly, individuals must seek out a nursing home attorney who can provide legal advice and assistance in a time when confusing situations can create situations in which decision making can be most difficult.

In addition to this, individuals should be aware of the Safety Medical Device Act, which came into effect in 1996. The FDA passed this act because of the hazards that can be found in a nursing home when gas vessels and medical equipment are located throughout the facility. This coupled with the crutches, wheel chairs, walkers, as well as other tentatively dangerous equipment, can result in deadly situations. The act explicitly states that nursing homes must report the injuries and deaths caused by medical devices as well as be able to follow the tracking requirements of potentially harmful medical devices. Families seeking care for a loved one should be aware and should ask questions regarding the training of those responsible for their loved ones. And in the case that any nursing home abuse does occur, family members should not hesitate to contact a nursing home law firm for advice on the prospect of filing a nursing home abuse lawsuit. Only with the counsel of a qualified nursing home lawyer will family members truly be able to get the information and possible compensation they deserve.