Danville, IL Nursing Home Neglect Lawyers
Aggressive Nursing Home Negligence Attorneys Helping People in Danville, Illinois
Nursing homes are required to provide compassionate and professional care for elderly or disabled residents. Unfortunately, neglect is a problem in many facilities, and it can lead to serious injuries and other forms of harm. If you suspect that your loved one has experienced nursing home neglect or has suffered injuries due to other forms of nursing home negligence in Danville, Illinois, Nursing Home Injury Center can help you seek justice.
We know the pain and frustration that comes with discovering that a loved one has been neglected in a nursing home. Our attorneys work with families in Danville who are dealing with the aftermath of nursing home negligence. With extensive experience handling these complex cases, we can demonstrate the harm caused by neglect and help your family recover compensation for your loved one’s injuries. Our firm will stand by your side, ensuring that your loved one receives the justice they deserve.
Nursing Home Neglect and its Consequences
Nursing home neglect occurs when the staff at a facility fails to provide the necessary care and attention that residents require. Neglect can lead to severe harm, including physical injuries, emotional distress, and even wrongful death. Families should be sure to understand the signs of neglect, and they will want to take immediate action to protect their loved ones. They may need to address issues such as:
- Inadequate Supervision: When residents are not properly supervised, they are at risk of falls, wandering, and other dangerous situations. For example, a resident with mobility issues may attempt to move on their own without assistance, and they may fall when getting into or out of bed and experience life-threatening injuries. Inadequate supervision can also result in residents suffering abuse from staff members or others.
- Lack of Medical Care: Nursing home residents often have complex medical needs that require close attention from staff members who are trained to provide the proper care. When nursing home staff fail to address a resident’s medical needs, their health can deteriorate rapidly. This form of neglect may include not administering medications on time, ignoring symptoms of serious conditions, or failing to follow up on medical concerns. Lack of medical care can result in preventable illnesses, worsening of existing conditions, and other forms of harm.
- Inadequate Training: A nursing home must provide proper training to ensure that staff members can handle the needs of elderly residents, many of whom may have cognitive impairments, mobility issues, or chronic medical conditions. Inadequate training can lead to serious errors in care, such as improper medication administration, mishandling of residents, or failure to recognize signs of medical emergencies. When staff are not adequately trained, residents are put at significant risk of harm.
- Understaffing: When a nursing home has limited capacity to address the needs of residents due to a limited number of people on staff, residents may not be provided with the care and assistance they need. In addition to a lack of help with daily needs, residents may not receive the proper medical care, and they will be at a higher risk of abuse.
- Medication Errors: Nursing home residents will often need to take multiple different types of medications to manage chronic health conditions. Errors in administering medications may include mixing up the medications provided to different patients, providing too much or too little of a medication, or failing to follow the proper schedules for administering medication. These errors can cause medical conditions to become worse, or patients may experience reactions due to being provided with the wrong drugs. In some cases, these errors may lead to a resident’s wrongful death.
- Malnutrition and Dehydration: Nursing home residents will often depend on staff to ensure they eat proper meals and receive sufficient liquids. Patients who do not eat meals may suffer from malnutrition, and those who do not drink enough water or receive liquids from other sources may experience dehydration. Malnutrition can weaken the immune system, making residents more susceptible to infections, while dehydration can lead to kidney failure, urinary tract infections, and other severe health problems.
- Choking: Nursing home residents with swallowing difficulties or cognitive impairments may choke on food or drinks. Neglect in monitoring a resident’s eating habits, providing foods at the proper consistency, or failing to assist with meals can lead to choking incidents. These incidents can be fatal, especially if staff members do not respond quickly to choking due to understaffing or inadequate supervision.
- Wandering and Elopement: Nursing home residents with dementia or Alzheimer’s disease may wander into dangerous locations or leave a facility unsupervised. These residents may become lost, be exposed to extreme weather conditions, or be injured in accidents. Nursing homes have a responsibility to monitor residents and ensure that they cannot leave the facility unsupervised.
- Falls: Neglect in providing adequate supervision, assisting with mobility, or maintaining a safe environment can lead to falls, resulting in fractures, head injuries, and other serious health issues. Nursing homes should take precautions to prevent falls, such as providing assistive devices, removing hazards, and ensuring that residents receive proper assistance with movement.
- Bedsores: These painful sores can develop when a nursing home resident is left in the same position for too long without being moved or repositioned. Bedsores can become infected, and they can lead to serious health complications if not treated promptly. Proper care involves regularly repositioning residents, providing adequate nutrition, and ensuring that the resident’s skin remains clean and dry.
- Infections: Nursing home residents with weakened immune systems or chronic conditions may experience harm if they contract infectious diseases. Neglect in maintaining proper hygiene, providing adequate nutrition, or ensuring timely medical care can lead to issues such as urinary tract infections, respiratory infections, or skin infections. These infections can be life-threatening if they are not treated promptly.
- Hygiene Issues: Maintaining proper hygiene can help ensure that nursing home residents will be able to live comfortably and avoid potential issues related to cleanliness. Neglect by a nursing home can affect a resident’s ability to bathe regularly, receive the proper dental care, and maintain a clean environment. Patients who do not maintain proper hygiene may be at a higher risk of infections, bedsores, or other serious health concerns.
Contact Our Danville Nursing Home Injury Attorneys
When a loved one has suffered harm due to neglect or other forms of negligence in a nursing home in Danville, Illinois, Nursing Home Injury Center can work with a family to address these issues. We can advise families on the steps they can take to protect their loved ones’ rights and recover compensation from a negligent nursing home. Contact our office today at 309-524-6900 for a free consultation and case evaluation.