Last week, a nursing home resident in West Chester, Pennsylvania reported that she had been raped by a nursing home employee. According to a report by a local news agency, the woman reported that she had been raped on the Saturday morning following the Friday night attack. The incident, which occurred at Heritage Spring, is currently under investigation by both the police as well as by the nursing home’s management.
The nursing home has said that it intends to cooperate fully with police, and has even gone so far to remove all male employees from the schedule until the matter is resolved. The nursing home has also resubmitted all of the background checks for its employees, noting that they all came back clean.
The victim was immediately taken to the emergency room, where she was questioned about the attack and underwent a physical examination to confirm the event. She is doing as well as can be expected, given the circumstances.
Sexual Assault in Maryland Nursing Homes
Sexual assault is unfortunately not all that rare in nursing homes across the country, including in Maryland. National statistics suggest that two out of every three nursing home residents are women and 7% of all nursing home abuse is sexual in nature.
While sexual abuse is certainly one of the worst events that can occur behind nursing home walls, the other types of abuse and neglect that occur at nursing homes can be just as shocking. For example, there have been frequent reports that Maryland residents are not being provided adequate care by nursing home staff. Others report that nursing home attendants are emotionally or physically abusive to them.
Whatever the case, nursing home residents do not have to take this sub-par treatment. As a paying customer to the nursing home, residents are owed a duty by the nursing home to provide quality care and refrain from creating an abusive environment.
When Nursing Homes Fail
When a nursing home fails to live up to the duty that is imposed upon it by law, the victim of the negligence or abuse is entitled to recover monetary damages to compensate them for their injuries or loss. To find out more, speak to an experienced Maryland nursing home attorney.
Have You Been Victimized By a Maryland Nursing Home Employee?
If you or a loved one has been victimized by the staff at a Maryland nursing home, you should speak to a Maryland nursing home attorney as soon as possible. Depending on the facts of your case, you may be entitled to a substantial monetary award. The skilled Maryland nursing home attorneys at the personal injury law firm of Lebowitz & Mzhen Personal Injury Lawyers have years of combined experience representing Maryland nursing home residents. To speak to an attorney in your area, and to learn more about the laws that allow the victims of nursing home abuse and neglect to recover, click here or call 410-654-3600 today.
See More Blog Posts:
Nursing Home Employee Facing Assault Charges for the Abuse of a Resident, Maryland Nursing Home Lawyer Blog, published April 2, 2014.
Nursing Home Fire Sends Two to the Hospital, Maryland Nursing Home Lawyer Blog, published March 25, 2014.