Taking care of aging relatives and ensuring they receive the attention and support they need often requires help from skilled nursing facilities. When families cannot provide their loved ones with the treatment and medical care necessary, they rely on nursing homes to fill this need. Unfortunately, some nursing home staff do not live up to the standard necessary, leading residents to suffer injuries and illnesses that could have otherwise been prevented.
Studies have found that around 10% of people over the age of 65 have experienced some form of abuse, and this figure is even higher in facilities like nursing homes. Even more startling is that only an estimated one out of 23.5 cases of abuse are reported. Neglect is reported even less often, at a rate of around one in 57.5 cases.
The prevalence of elder abuse is horrifying, but victims of inattentive staff, careless nurses, and negligent doctors in nursing homes are not without recourse. Filing a nursing home abuse claim may be an option to recover financial damages for the injuries you’ve sustained. Contact D’Amico & Pettinicchi, LLC today to discuss the possibility of pursuing legal action.
How Inattentive Staff Cause Injuries in Nursing Homes
Neglect is an exceedingly common type of abuse in nursing homes, and when staff are inattentive to the residents’ needs, injuries and illnesses are almost sure to follow. When families make the decision to place their aging loved ones in a nursing home, it is because they need a level of medical care and attention that they cannot provide by themselves. Inattention is dangerous for vulnerable older adults. This type of negligence can lead to:
- Bedsores
- Choking
- Falls
- Malnutrition
- Dehydration
- Poor hygiene
- Increased infections
- Worsening medical conditions
- Medication errors
Inattention and the Duty of Care in Connecticut Nursing Homes
Nursing home residents have certain rights, and facility staff have obligations to uphold a duty of care to the patients. Connecticut’s Patients’ Bill of Rights requires, among other things, that residents:
- Are free from mental and physical abuse
- Receive quality care and services
- Are entitled to be treated equally with other patients
Inattentive staff cannot provide quality care and services. Inattentive staff are negligent in their duties to residents, and neglect is a type of abuse. If you believe that you or your loved one has been the victim of nursing home negligence in the form of inattentive staff, contact a nursing home abuse lawyer as soon as possible. The nursing home or its staff may be liable for any harm they have caused as a result of the inattention and neglect.
Experienced Nursing Home Abuse Attorneys in Connecticut
The experience and skill of your legal team matter in injury claims involving inattentive staff. Damages for neglect in nursing homes can be challenging to pursue in Connecticut, but the nursing home abuse attorneys at D’Amico & Pettinicchi, LLC, have been helping clients pursue financial compensation for over 100 combined years. Our clients’ best interests are at the heart of everything we do. We fight tirelessly to hold negligent nursing home staff responsible for the harm they’ve caused, so contact us today to schedule a free consultation.