Woodford County Nursing Home Injury Lawyers
What is Nursing Home Abuse?
Families in Woodford County, Illinois who have been affected by nursing home negligence know all too well the devastating consequences that patients can suffer if they do not receive the proper care and treatment. Nursing home abuse and neglect can lead to physical, emotional, and financial harm that takes a toll on victims and their families. Unfortunately, many people may be unaware of their rights, or they may not know how to proceed when they suspect that a loved one has experienced injuries due to mistreatment or negligence at a nursing home.
The team at Nursing Home Injury Center works to address this issue by helping families understand their options for responding to nursing home injuries. We provide compassionate, experienced guidance in these cases, advising family members of the resources that are available to address their loved one’s needs. We can assist with legal matters to ensure that a negligent facility will be held responsible for the harm suffered by patients, and we will do everything we can to implement solutions that will prevent injuries and health issues from affecting other patients and families.
Forms of Nursing Home Negligence That Can Affect Patients in Woodford County, IL
A nursing home will have the duty to provide the necessary care for residents, including addressing medical concerns, assisting with personal needs, and maintaining a safe and healthy environment. Unfortunately, there are multiple types of negligence that may result in serious injuries or health issues, including:
- Lack of supervision – Staff members may fail to properly monitor patients and provide assistance when needed. This can contribute to injuries like falls or choking, as well as issues such as wandering and elopement. It may also enable abuse to occur undetected, perpetuating a cycle of mistreatment that can have devastating consequences for vulnerable patients.
- Lack of medical care – Nursing home patients often have specific medical needs that must be met, and failure to provide the proper care may cause a person’s condition to worsen. If staff members do not follow a care plan correctly, a person can suffer serious harm.
- Failure to train staff members – Nursing homes must meet certain requirements when hiring staff members. In addition to ensuring that employees have the proper qualifications and experience, training will need to be provided after a person is hired and on an annual basis. If staff members do not have the training needed to provide the proper care and treatment to residents, they may be unable to address patients’ needs, respond to safety concerns, or prevent injuries from occurring.
- Understaffing – Nursing homes must maintain a certain staff-to-patient ratio in order to ensure that residents receive the proper supervision, assistance with daily needs, and other forms of care. If a facility does not have enough staff to meet the needs of all patients, the likelihood of injuries will increase significantly. At understaffed nursing homes, patients may experience neglect, which could lead to issues such as dehydration, malnutrition, breathing tube injuries, bedrail injuries, or bedsores.
- Medication errors – Staff members must be properly trained to administer medications to residents, and they must also have the necessary drugs and equipment available. If a nursing home fails to provide patients with the correct dosages of medication, or if drugs are administered incorrectly, serious harm may result. In some cases, patients may not receive medications that are necessary to maintain their health, or the wrong medications may be provided, resulting in issues such as harmful side effects, dangerous reactions with other drugs, or allergic reactions.
Contact Our Woodford County Nursing Home Neglect Lawyers
At Nursing Home Injury Center, we understand the difficulties that family members face when a loved one has been injured due to nursing home negligence. Our compassionate team is dedicated to helping those who have experienced these types of issues, and we will work diligently to ensure that a nursing home resident’s rights will be protected. We will provide advice on the resources available to assist with medical expenses and other costs while also addressing any other related legal concerns. Contact us and arrange a free consultation by calling 309-524-6900.