Maryland Nursing Home Lawyer Blog
In yet another story of nursing home abuse, a North Carolina nursing home was recently cited by the State in relation to a patient’s death caused by injuries he sustained while fighting with a nursing home staff member. According to a report by a local news source, the nursing home was cited by the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services for “failing to keep residents free from abuse.”
Evidently, the elderly patient suffered from dementia, a seizure disorder, and other ailments. At some point during his stay, he was involved in a scuffle with nursing home staff and sustained serious injuries. He was hospitalized for his injuries, but 15 days later he died from the injuries. The patient died while in hospice care.
The nursing home denies any wrongdoing but commented that they will try to do better in the future.
Caring for the Elderly
Caring for the elderly is not an easy job, but it is a job that must be done. And it must be done with care, diligence, and compassion. All too often, nursing home employees treat nursing home residents as though they are a nuisance. The truth is, however, that without the patient, there would be no jobs for the nursing home employees.
This recent instance of nursing home abuse took place in rural North Carolina, but the same scenario occurs across Maryland. In one study, 44% of nursing home residents claim that they have at one point been abused. An astronomical 95% feel that they have been neglected at one point or another.
The Lack of Reporting Problem
One of the major problems with the elder abuse epidemic is the low rate of reporting. Since most nursing home patients are isolated from the outside world and may not have frequent contact with friends or family, instances of abuse are frequently unreported. When they are reported, all too often family members dismiss the claims as exaggerated or inflated. However, nursing home abuse is real, and it happens more often than most of us would like to believe.
When a loved one does report that they are being abused or neglected, make sure to take the claim seriously. The last thing anyone wants is to not realize there was a real problem until it is too late.
Is Your Loved One at Risk?
If you believe that you have a loved one who is suffering from nursing home abuse or neglect, make sure that you get them out of the situation as soon as possible. While it may seem like a hassle to change their housing arrangements, it may save their life. Once your loved one is safe, consider speaking to an experienced Maryland nursing home abuse attorney about the possibility of bringing a lawsuit against the nursing home for their failure to properly care for your loved one. The Maryland personal injury law office of Lebowitz & Mzhen Personal Injury Lawyers has the dedication and experience necessary to bring any kind of nursing home abuse or nursing home negligence case in the State of Maryland. Click here, or call 410-654-3600 to schedule a free initial consultation.
See More Blog Posts:
Nursing Home Pays Out $3.3 Million in Negligence Suit, Maryland Nursing Home Lawyer Blog, published June 3, 2014.
Male Nurse Pleads Not Guilty to Mistreating a Patient, Maryland Nursing Home Lawyer Blog, published June 24, 2014.