Areas of Practice
Maryland Nursing Home Injuries Lawyers
When you place a loved one in a nursing home, you are entrusting their well-being and health to a staff you hope is caring, competent and professional. Unfortunately, many elderly people suffer nursing home injuries during their nursing home stays. From neglect and nursing home abuse to slip and fall and improper restraint injuries, the scope and severity of nursing home injuries can vary significantly from case to case.
The United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimates that 1.5 million elderly people (age 65 and older) lived in nursing homes in 2003, a number they expect to increase to around three million by 2030. They report that fall injuries are common (affecting as many as three out of four nursing home residents each year) and that ten to 20 percent of nursing home falls result in serious injury or even death.
However, falls aren't the only injuries that can befall nursing home residents. Improper restraint, including restraints used to prevent slip and falls, can cause lacerations, bruising, internal damage, and even break bones. State and federal laws require that restraint only be applied in certain situations in which nursing home residents or staff are in documentable danger and require medical orders before restraint is applied.
Bed sores (also know as decubitus ulcers or pressure ulcers) are one sign that an elderly person may be the victim of nursing home abuse. Bed sores are typically the result of a lack of movement, caused by sitting or lying in the same position for long periods of time. When a person's skin has pressure upon it continually, there is a decrease in the blood flow to that particular area, causing the tissue to die. Bed sores may range from a minor skin irritation to a sore which affects the skin, muscles, tendons and bones.
Unfortunately, short-staffing and low budgets lead to a dissatisfied and undereducated work force at some nursing homes. These staff members are more likely to engage in negligent or abusive behavior towards elderly residents, who may be neglected or subjected to sexual, financial, emotional or physical abuse during their stay. The National Center on Elder Abuse reports that nursing home abuse is woefully underreported. It is estimated that 30 percent of all nursing homes have been cited for abusive conditions, but the majority of abuse incidents are not even reported.
If your elderly relative has suffered a nursing home injury, know your rights. Every nursing home resident is entitled to dignified, humane and respectful treatment regardless of their mental or physical condition. You should consult with a nursing home attorney as soon as possible to explore your legal rights and find out more about compensation for your relative's injuries.
The law offices of Steven H. Heisler act on behalf of personal injury victims all over the country, including those harmed by nursing home injuries. Interested on more information on whether you have a valid nursing home injury claim? Contact Baltimore nursing home abuse lawyer Steven H. Heisler today for a free case consultation.