Three Connecticut nursing homes are facing fines for serious lapses in care related to residents who as a result were injured or suffered a further deterioration in health due to improper wound treatment.
In the first incident, according to a state inspection report, the rehabilitation center failed to provide adequate care to a resident for so long that a wound on her leg became “infested with maggots.” The resident had been diagnosed with dementia and other psychological affects, and some time after she developed leg sores, began to refuse treatment, including medications. There had reportedly been a recommendation that she be transferred to an inpatient psychiatric facility, following a psychiatric examination, but the attending physician did not think it was in her best interests. The Department of Public Health imposed a $1,020 fine for the facility’s failure to develop an alternative plan for treatment in the face of the patient’s ongoing refusal for care.
Another facility was also cited with a $1,020 fine for lapses in care related to two patients: one suffered a fall, resulting in a pelvic fracture, and the other was not properly treated for constipation.
The third facility was fined a total of $2,180 for two separate incidents. In one case, a resident had lost over a tenth of her body weight due to apparently losing his/her dentures, and was thus having difficulty chewing. However, the facility’s dietitian was never made aware of the difficulty, which could have resulted in an alternative nutrition plan. The other incident involved a resident who suffered an injury as a result of a transfer from a bed to a wheelchair without the use of a mechanical lift, which was required as a part of the patient’s care plan.
As the foregoing cases demonstrate, nursing home abuse doesn’t necessarily have to rise to the level of a physical assault in order to constitute an actionable claim. Additional harms against residents can be inflicted by way of neglect, and sometimes even more traditional medical malpractice, which is a more nuanced form of a negligence claim.
In Maryland, nursing homes are monitored by the Department of Health and Mental Hygiene. Nursing homes are governed by the Code of Maryland Regulations, a set of strict regulations that all of the licensed nursing homes in the state must abide by. One of the requirements of the Code says that Maryland nursing homes are to have a set of policies and procedures in place that will prevent abuse and neglect of its residents. The failure to have these policies in place can serve as grounds for a lawsuit against the nursing home.
If you have reason to believe that an elderly friend or relative who is living in a nursing home or assisted living facility within the Maryland or the Washington D.C. areas is suffering from nursing home neglect or abuse, contact the experienced nursing home abuse and neglect attorneys at Lebowitz & Mzhen immediately. We can help determine whether your friend or loved one might have a case against the facility. We have many years of experience helping people in Maryland obtain compensation for injuries, and in some cases wrongful death, caused by nursing home abuse or neglect. Call us today at (800) 654-1949 in order to schedule your complimentary and confidential initial consultation. You can also contact us through our website.
More Blog Posts:
Estate Sues, Claims Nursing Home’s Negligence Led to Wrongful Death, Maryland Nursing Home Lawyer Blog, published March 27, 2013
Former Nursing Home Employee Charged with Stealing from 100 Year Old Patient, Maryland Nursing Home Lawyer Blog, published March 20, 2013