Maryland Nursing Home Lawyer Blog
Reports of neglect and abuse are common in nursing homes and skilled care facilities. However, the exact number of Maryland nursing home residents who are neglected or forced to endure physical or sexual abuse is difficult to determine. One reason for this is because many nursing home residents have a very difficult time successfully reporting abuse or neglect.
There are several reasons why a nursing home resident may have a difficult time successfully reporting abuse or neglect. For example, some residents may be ashamed of what they have experienced or fear that their reports or abuse or neglect will be met with skepticism from loved ones. However, the more common reason for a resident’s failure to report nursing home abuse or neglect is their inability to do so.
Those who are inclined to prey upon the aged or disabled often select the most vulnerable individuals of this population as victims. Predators do this knowing that their victims will likely be unable to report what has been done to them and, even if it is reported, the reports may not be taken seriously.
Woman Struggles to Report Sexual Abuse
Earlier this year, a 61-year-old woman who was hospitalized after undergoing two heart surgeries heroically reported the horrifying acts of a hospital nurse to her daughters. According to a local news report, the woman had a tracheal tube, and could not speak. One day, the woman’s daughter came to visit her in the hospital. When the daughter was leaving, the woman grabbed her arm and shook her head “no.” The woman was moving her mouth, but her daughter could not understand.
The next day, the woman’s other daughter came to visit. Again, as her daughter tried to leave, the woman grabbed at her arm and began to cry. The daughter got her mother a piece of paper and pen, and the woman wrote “EKG” repeatedly. She then wrote something referring to the male anatomy and made a hand gesture. This clued the woman’s daughter off, who asked if someone was “messing with her.”
The woman later disclosed that a man in a burgundy uniform sexually abused her. As it turns out, employees in the hospital’s EKG department wear burgundy uniforms. A nurse in the room at the time told the woman’s daughters that their mother was incoherent and hallucinating, although there was no evidence suggesting that to be the case. The daughters notified hospital staff as well as police, and a case is currently pending.
Is Your Loved One Trying to Tell You Something?
If you have a loved one in a Maryland nursing home, and they have disclosed instances of abuse or neglect, contact the dedicated Maryland personal injury lawyers at the law firm of Lebowitz & Mzhen, LLC. At Lebowitz & Mzhen, we represent nursing home residents across Maryland, Virginia, and Washington, D.C., helping them pursue financial compensation for the injuries and injustices they have endured. To learn more about how we can help you pursue a claim for compensation, call 410-654-3600 to schedule a free consultation today.
More Blog Posts:
Maryland Nursing Home Arbitration Agreements Must Be Clear to Be Enforceable, Maryland Nursing Home Lawyer Blog, published February 8, 2019.
Important Arbitration Opinion May Impact the Rights of Maryland Nursing Home Residents and Their Families, Maryland Nursing Home Lawyer Blog, published January 22, 2019.