Neglect

The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) estimate that over 1.4 million Americans reside in over 15,600 nursing homes across the United States, and Illinois is home to over 1,200 nursing homes and 100,000 patients. Furthermore, an estimated 70% of these nursing homes are for-profit facilities, and this profit-motive compels the operators of these facilities to cut costs by a variety of means, which often results in elderly residents being abused or neglected. If your loved one has been a victim of abuse or neglect in a nursing home, speak with an experienced personal injury attorney as soon as possible.

While abuse typically involves direct harmful behavior to a resident, “neglect” involves a blatant lack of proper care and/or supervision and can be short- or long-term. Common cases of nursing home neglect include:

•  Bed Sores – Many patients with limited mobility require physical assistance, even with turning and repositioning themselves in bed. Neglecting patients who are suffering from or at risk of bed sores need this protection to prevent their conditions from worsening.
•  Choking – Many patients require restricted diets and/or close supervision when eating due to trouble swallowing, and failure to adhere to a patient’s diet plan or provide adequate supervision during a meal can result in choking and qualify as negligence.
•  Dehydration/Malnutrition – Failure to provide adequate food and water for a patient on either a short- or long-term basis qualifies as negligence for which the nursing home should be held responsible.
•  Falls – Patients who are at risk of falling must be properly evaluated by staff and generally require assistance and supervision with their mobility, and staff members who fail to assist or supervise these at-risk patients when necessary may be held accountable for negligence.
•  Wandering – Patients with cognitive debilitations such as Alzheimer’s, dementia, and other disorders may be at risk of wandering within the facility or attempting to leave it entirely. Safeguards must be implemented to protect these patients and keep the facility’s doorways secure at all times, and staff members may be liable for negligence if an unsupervised patient leaves the facility and suffers an injury.

Our experienced personal injury attorneys will fight for your compensation until the very end and may compile a wide range of evidence for nursing home neglect cases, such as:

• Nursing home charts;
• Medical bills and records;
• State surveys and inspection reports;
• Photographs of the patient’s injuries or improper conditions within the nursing home;
• Reports from physicians or nurses regarding deviations from standard care.

If your loved one has been a victim of neglect in a nursing home, contact 844 See Mike for a free consultation. We are a personal injury law firm representing individuals (and their families) who have suffered an injury. We will handle your case quickly and advise you every step of the way, and we will not hesitate to go to trial for you.

Lastly, 844 See Mike is not paid attorneys’ fees unless we win your case. Our no-fee promise is that simple. You have nothing to risk when you hire us – only the opportunity to seek justice.