New York City Nursing Home Abuse & Neglect Lawyer
Nursing Home Neglect Attorneys
Due to demographic shifts in American society, with a large percentage of the population now over the age of 65, the issue of addressing nursing home abuse has become more important than ever. Many aging Americans should expect to continue living for many more years. Thus, nursing home populations will likely grow substantially in the near future.
Unfortunately, a rising nursing home population is typically associated with an increase in nursing home abuse and negligence cases. If you suspect an elderly loved one has been the victim of New York nursing home abuse, you should contact a nursing home negligence attorney to determine your loved one’s rights.
The Center for Medicare & Medicaid Services and related governmental agencies assist in overseeing the services nursing homes provide. Federal and state governments have established uniform standards for nursing homes in an attempt to protect the elderly. Nursing homes that fail to meet these standards may be subject to fines, citations, and similar penalties.
Although government entities attempt to prevent nursing home abuse and negligence, statistics indicate that more than one million nursing home residents are abused in some manner each year. If you or someone you love in the New York City area has been a victim of nursing home abuse or negligence, you need help from a NY elder abuse lawyer.
A NY Nursing Home Abuse Attorney Can Protect the One's You Love
That’s where The Rothenberg Law Firm LLP comes in. For over 50 years, our team of experienced attorneys has helped to collect millions of dollars in compensation for our clients. We succeed by thoroughly understanding the factors which can influence the outcome of these cases. Our qualified NYC nursing home abuse attorneys leverage all necessary resources to ensure that responsible parties are held accountable.
That said, our NY elder abuse lawyers also approach these cases with compassion for the victims. We know how difficult it can be to cope with nursing home abuse, and that seeking assistance from an attorney in pursuing a nursing home negligence claim can be intimidating or stressful. With our help, you can relieve some of your emotional burdens.
Suing a Nursing Home for Negligence and Malpractice
Nursing home abuse may include the following:
- Physical injury from falls
- Malnutrition or dehydration
- Bed sores, pressure ulcers
- Gangrene
- Aspiration pneumonia
- Over-sedation
- Poor medical care
- Medication mistakes
- Lack of supervision
- Property theft
- Abandonment
- Ineffective equipment
- Sexual assault
- Coercion
- Physical or mental abuse
- Poor hygiene
- Bruises
- Fractures
- Urinary Tract Infections
- Sepsis
- Wrongful death
Nursing home residents may not fully understand the level of care to which they are entitled. As a result, cases of nursing home abuse in New York and elsewhere often go unreported. There are also instances in which residents may be physically unable to report the abuse.
Some cases in which a victim may be able to bring a claim against a nursing home for negligence involve recurring incidents of such abuse; others involve single incidents. Either way, victims may be entitled to monetary damages. Additionally, when pursuing a nursing home negligence or abuse claim, plaintiffs don’t merely pursue compensation; they also help protect current and future residents from harm. Nursing homes that fail to supply proper care can lose their certifications, resulting in a loss of federal funding.
New York City Office Location
The Rothenberg Law Firm LLP
450 7th Avenue 44th Floor,
New York, 10123
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Nursing Home Negligence and Bed Sores
The National Institutes of Health (NIH) points out that nursing home neglect can often be defined as failure to provide adequate care. This may include failure to provide food, supervision, medicine, medical care and treatment, clothing, and shelter. Elder neglect may involve a wide range of potential circumstances that jeopardize an elder’s health and/or safety.
Bed sores represent the most common form of nursing home negligence. Bed sores (also known as pressure sores, pressure ulcers, and decubitus ulcers) are one of several serious injuries nursing home residents may sustain. Findings from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) indicate that nursing home neglect often results in residents developing bed sores, which could lead to serious repercussions.
What Are Bed Sores?
According to the CDC, bed sores “are wounds caused by unrelieved pressure on the skin.” They frequently develop on an individual’s “bony prominences.” These include elbows, heels, hips, shoulders, back, and in some instances, even the back of the head.
Bed sores are one of the most serious medical conditions nursing home residents may develop. The rate of pressure sores in nursing home residents can serve as a major quality-care indicator. Anywhere from 2 to 28 percent of nursing home residents currently suffer from bed sores.
Severity of Pressure Ulcers in Nursing Homes
To assess the severity of pressure ulcers, medical professionals refer to a staging system. Stages can range from “least severe” to “most severe.” They typically focus on the depth of damage to the soft tissue. According to the CDC, stages tend to look like:
- Stage 1: a persistent redness in the skin;
- Stage 2: loss of partial thickness of the skin, which may resemble an abrasion, blister, or shallow crater;
- Stage 3: loss of full thickness of the skin, which usually resembles a deep crater; and
- Stage 4: loss of full thickness of the skin, resulting in exposed muscles or bones.
CDC data indicates Stage 2 pressure ulcers are probably the most common in nursing home residents who have been victims of neglect. If you suspect an elderly loved one to be experiencing abuse at their institution and discover these sores, consult a lawyer to discuss your options in suing a nursing home for negligence.
Complications Arising From Bed Sores
Bed sores are already health problems in and of themselves. However, they can also lead to other health issues, including:
- Several different types of infections, including cellulitis (skin), osteomyelitis (bone), endocarditis (heart lining), meningitis (cerebrospinal fluid), sepsis (blood), and even various forms of necrotizing fasciitis (commonly known as flesh eating bacteria);
- Septic arthritis, a joint disease caused by bacterial infection;
- Abscesses, a type of skin and soft tissue lesion; and/or
- Heterotopic bone formations, a condition in which bone deposits form in the soft tissue, typically around the hip joints. This will lead to pain and impaired mobility.
If you or a loved one in the New York area has been affected by bed sores arising from nursing home negligence, contact an NY elder abuse lawyer to learn more about your rights.
Facts and Figures About Nursing Home Bed Sores
According to CDC data, more than 10 percent of nursing home residents have developed a pressure ulcer in some capacity. More than half of such residents are diagnosed with Stage 2 bed sores. Other relevant facts and figures include the following:
- Age is a significant factor: nursing home residents aged 64 years and younger are more likely to develop bed sores than older residents.
- Length of nursing home stay is important: residents at a nursing home for one year or less are more likely than long-term residents to be diagnosed with a bed sore.
- Weight loss may be a key indicator: approximately 20 percent of nursing home residents who experience recent weight loss also develop bed sores.
- Greater than one-third of all nursing home residents with bed sores rated as “Stage 2” or higher required “special wound care services.”
Contacting an NYC Nursing Home Abuse Attorney
Again, if you or a loved one appears to have signs or symptoms of nursing home abuse or neglect, a NY elder abuse lawyer can help. Contact The Rothenberg Law Firm LLP today by calling us at 1-800-624-8888 or by submitting a free online case evaluation.
The initial consultation with a NY nursing home abuse attorney is always FREE. If we take on your case, we work on a contingency fee basis, meaning we don’t charge any legal fees unless our New York elder abuse lawyers succeed in getting proper compensation for you first.
That said, the Statute of Limitations establishes deadlines for filing lawsuits. Act fast and contact a nursing home abuse attorney in New York at our firm today to avoid waiving your rights to compensation.
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