In most cases, you would expect that nursing homes keep their residents in good health. Unfortunately, this is not always the case. For a variety of reasons, such as understaffing, poor training, or mismanagement, residents can fall ill from preventable causes. When your loved one’s health is compromised due to neglect, you deserve a strong advocate who can push for an appropriate remedy.
At Nursing Home Injury Center, our Illinois nursing home neglect lawyers have years of experience fighting for the rights of elderly residents and their families. With a strategy of thorough investigation and aggressive argument, we have helped our clients secure millions in damages, holding nursing facilities accountable for negligent practices. When you work with our firm, we will help you identify common infections and pursue a fair remedy for your loved one’s pain and suffering.
The Common Cold
While most of us can put up with a cold for a few days or weeks, elderly populations are at greater risk when it comes to these regular infections. As we get older, our immune systems get weaker, which means greater exposure to the common cold. Symptoms of the common cold include fatigue, persistent aches, a sore throat, or congestion.
While it can be difficult to account for seasonal ailments, nursing homes can still take proactive measures to stave off the common cold. By monitoring residents’ temperatures, reporting any early symptoms, and administering medication, nursing homes can minimize the damage caused by a cold and prevent it from spreading. At Nursing Home Injury Center, we can look into a nursing home to see if adequate measures were taken to protect residents from harm.
Pneumonia
Pneumonia can be a debilitating infection to deal with, especially for senior citizens. Pneumonia is a respiratory infection that inflames the air sacs in your lungs, which can seriously affect your breathing. Common symptoms of pneumonia include shortness of breath, fever, sharp “stabbing” pain, loss of appetite, and fatigue. In immunocompromised or medically fragile populations, pneumonia can lead to death.
Pneumonia is often spread through viruses, bacteria, and fungi. In many cases, pneumonia is transmitted through germs when an infected person coughs or sneezes onto another person. If a nursing home does not take measures to disinfect these surfaces, the residents could be placed at greater risk of an infection.
At Nursing Home Injury Center, we can help you file a personal injury claim to cover the medical expenses caused by a pneumonia infection. If you have lost a close relative to pneumonia exposure in a nursing home, we can file a wrongful death claim on your behalf to get compensation for funeral expenses and bereavement.
C-Diff
C-diff is a painful infection characterized by inflammation of the colon. This can cause frequent diarrhea, cramping, an increased heart rate, loss of appetite, and nausea. Because C-diff can come with a major loss of bodily fluid, it also carries a serious risk of dehydration. If this infection is not swiftly addressed by a medical professional, it can come with life-threatening complications.
Unhygienic conditions in a nursing home can lead to an outbreak of C-diff. Additionally, the overuse of prescribed antibiotics may lead to C-diff. At Nursing Home Injury Center, our lawyers can investigate the nursing home’s role in a C-diff infection. If the infection was caused by preventable negligence, such as a lack of enforcement of hand-washing, we can cite that as evidence for your claim.
MRSA
Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, or MRSA, is a bacterial infection that cannot be easily treated with antibiotics. This infection often manifests as rash-like lumps on the skin. MRSA infections frequently come with symptoms of a fever, and can lead to additional complications like pneumonia or sepsis. Furthermore, MRSA is not always easy to diagnose, as it can be mistaken for a spider bite on the skin.
MRSA can be remedied with topical ointments or prescribed oral antibiotics from a medical professional. If left unchecked, however, MRSA may develop into serious lesions and abscesses beneath the skin. At Nursing Home Injury Center, we will look into your loved one’s medical records to see if the infection was left to fester without adequate medical care and attention.
Urinary Tract Infections
A urinary tract infection, or UTI, is caused by bacteria spreading to the bladder, urethra, and kidneys. UTIs are characterized by inflammation of the urinary tract, which can result in severe pain while urinating, bloody urine, and fever, chills, and nausea. UTIs are often treated with over-the-counter antibiotics, but more serious infections may require medical intervention at a hospital.
The use of catheters at nursing homes can increase the risk of a urinary tract infection. Nursing home residents experiencing cognitive decline due to dementia may struggle to explain their symptoms, leading to lack of treatment and worsening symptoms. Poor conditions at a nursing home, like failing to change diapers in a timely manner, can contribute to the spread of bacteria that causes UTIs.
Bedsores
Bedsores are ulcers caused by residents staying in a prone position for long periods without moving. To alleviate this, nursing home staff usually turn residents in bed at regular intervals. When this duty is neglected, however, a bedsore will progressively worsen, exposing the resident to infection.
At Nursing Home Injury Center, we can investigate the cause behind a pressure ulcer. Witness testimony, video evidence, medical records, and photographs can all show how much a bedsore progressed without intervention from the staff. We can fight for a full remedy for damages caused by a bedsore, including medical expenses and your loved one’s pain and suffering.
Contact a Nursing Home Neglect Attorney in Peoria County, IL
When nursing home residents are exposed to unsanitary conditions, the risk of infection increases. If these infections go untreated, the health of the resident could plummet, with complications that can lead to death.
Our Peoria, IL nursing home injury lawyers are ready to advocate for your loved one’s rights. When you work with Nursing Home Injury Center, you will enjoy the individualized attention of a small law firm with the resources of a large firm. Call us at 309-524-6900 to schedule a free consultation today.
