Wrongful Death due to Nursing Home Abuse

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Protection (CDC), statistics in 2014 some 1.4 million individuals are residents in nursing homes. Another study suggests that over one third of seniors will eventually live in such facilities. While nursing homes provide invaluable care for the elderly that may not be available from their families, the reality is that nursing home abuse exists in such facilities. This article will discuss wrongful death and nursing home abuse and key steps to take thereafter.

Nursing home abuse triggers extreme suffering during residents’ final years of life and often leads to painful, miserable death. There are a number of different types of nursing home abuse but one of the worst forms is assault on the mind. The simple failure to attend to residents as frequently as they require could cause significant pain and suffering and even death. Some types of abusive or neglectful scenarios that may have a deadly outcome include the following:

• Bedsores – are painful wounds that result from the pressure of lying in a certain position for too long. If bedsores are not addressed they can lead to sepsis and that is a condition that kills one third of those affected.
• Assault – the elderly are uniquely vulnerable to assault even when they are living in facilities that should keep them safe. The assault can be at the hands of visitors, fellow residents or even nursing home staff. Contact that might not harm younger individuals could lead to broken hips, disability and devastating health issues.
• Elopement – in nursing homes this term refers to potentially deadly escapes especially among those with Dementia or Alzheimer’s Confused residents may leave facilities without being properly dressed for the weather putting themselves at risk of frostbite or hypothermia. Some residents may wander into traffic, suffer dehydration or the ill effects of wondering for too long without taking prescribed medications.
• Unsanitary conditions – because the elderly are prone to infection nursing homes need to be immaculate at all times. Unfortunately, dirty restrooms and unwashed sheets can be deadly. At times nursing home employees fail to take basic precautions such as washing hands, which leads to a swift and potentially fatal spread of disease.

There are number of symptoms that show a wrongful death in nursing homes that are closely associated with abusive and neglectful treatment. Some of these include the following:

• Dehydration
• Malnutrition
• Depression
• Irritability

Shying away from physical contact from loved ones

At times the chief sign of suspicious conduct is a sudden death not preceded by a clear decline in health. There may be a cause of suspicion if a relatively healthy individual suddenly dies with no prior sign of struggle.

If you suspect nursing home abuse and wrongful death you and your family are eligible for damages. It is necessary to demonstrate not only that the negligence occurred, but that there is a direct correlation between the negligent act and the death of your loved one. For wrongful death caused by nursing home abuse, contact a nursing home abuse lawyer and wrongful death caused by vehicle accidents contact a vehicle accident injury lawyer.