Nursing homes in Torrington should provide safe and comfortable residences for their patients. This includes providing care that meets medical standards and protecting the well-being of residents. Sadly, incidents of neglect or abuse result in thousands of injuries to nursing home patients every year. A facility that allows these injuries to occur may be liable to provide compensation.

A Torrington nursing home abuse lawyer at D’Amico & Pettinicchi, LLC, can help when you or a loved one experiences an injury due to the negligence of doctors, nurses or other staff members. Our dedicated personal injury attorneys will work to help you understand your rights, measure your losses, and hold negligent facilities accountable.

Potential Forms of Nursing Home Abuse

Nursing home abuse can include various situations where a nursing home or an assisted living facility fails to protect the welfare of its residents. Many injuries result from oversight or a lack of proper training, such as:

  • Sepsis;
  • Bedsores;
  • Malnutrition or dehydration; and
  • Broken bones from falling down.

Even though these injuries are the product of what may seem like accidents, the nursing home may be liable for negligent care. This is because they have an obligation under the law to protect residents from foreseeable harm.

Another potential source of harm is intentional acts of violence in nursing homes such as sexual assaults. With many nursing home residents unable to defend themselves, the opportunity for intentional abuse is always present. Nurses or other staff members may:

  • Use restraints;
  • Sexually abuse a resident;
  • Intentionally withhold food or water;
  • Physically strike a resident, such as by hitting or slapping; or
  • Purposely fail to provide painkillers or other medication.

A proactive Torrington nursing home abuse attorney at D’Amico & Pettinicchi, LLC, can take the lead in investigating the source of a family member’s injuries and tie them to a facility’s failure to keep them safe.

Holding Nursing Homes Responsible for Injuries

According to state and federal law, long-term care facilities must keep residents safe. In most situations a nursing home’s management or ownership is not providing direct care to a patient. Instead, the law holds these companies responsible through vicarious liability. This means an employer shares the blame for the actions of their employees who cause injuries through negligence.

A separate concept of the law may also hold a nursing home liable for the intentional actions of employees that result in injuries. All nursing homes must screen their workers to evaluate the propensity for abuse. A worker who slips through the cracks during the hiring process may leave their employer jointly liable for any violent acts they commit.

As a result, a collection of parties may share blame for a nursing home resident’s injuries. Making these connections and gathering evidence about the incident as soon as possible is critical. Connecticut General Statute § 52-584 says that people may have as short a time as two years from the date of an injury to demand payments. A diligent nursing home abuse lawyer from our firm in Torrington works to build powerful cases that fit within this time limit.

Enlist the Help of a Torrington Nursing Home Abuse Attorney

Nursing homes and their negligent or abusive staff are frequent sources of injuries. Residents in these facilities are vulnerable to the predation of staff members, as they often feel too intimidated to speak out. This is where a Torrington nursing home abuse lawyer can help.

Owners of nursing homes and assisted living facilities are responsible for negligent acts that impact their residents. An aggressive attorney at D’Amico & Pettinicchi, LLC, will advocate for your family’s rights. Call today.