The population of the U.S. and California is aging faster than at any other time in history. Currently, almost two million people live in nursing homes nationwide. When a person is placed into a San Francisco nursing home, in most cases family members have spent a great deal of time and care in selecting the right place for that person. The patient and his or her family members are entitled to expect that the patient will receive the proper care and will be treated with respect.
While most nursing homes do try hard to meet their patients’ needs, and do a good or at least acceptable job, many nursing homes are woefully inadequate. Nursing homes are often chronically understaffed and have problems retaining good employees. High levels of employee turnover can lead to poor patient care, including abuse, neglect, and injuries to patients. Many nursing homes today are driven solely by profits and purposely keep the number of staff to a minimum. In many cases, the nursing home staff may have good intentions, but they may be poorly educated and/or poorly trained.
It’s important to look for the signs of abuse or neglect at your loved one’s nursing home so that you can potentially catch any problems before they occur. In most cases, the loved ones of a resident are in the best position to evaluate if their family member is receiving appropriate care at the home. The residents may be unable to communicate or may have cognitive difficulties, which can make it difficult or impossible to tell loved ones what is going on at the home.
Some of the warning signs of nursing home neglect include a change in appetite, weight loss, unexplained injuries, bed sores, a dirty environment, dehydration, unexplained or untreated infections, broken bones, unexplained falls, medical errors including prescription medication errors, and a withdrawal from friends and family. Although there may be legitimate reasons for some of these issues to occur, a full investigation should be done to ensure that there is a good explanation for the patient’s condition.
You or a loved one may be entitled to receive compensation for the neglect or abuse of a loved one in a nursing home. Normally, you must be able to prove that the nursing home owed a patient a duty of care, failed to meet that duty, and the patient was harmed as a result. The patient (or his or her heirs if the patient dies) may be entitled to damages for medical expenses, pain and suffering, and more.
If your loved one has been injured in a nursing home accident, it’s important to consult with an attorney. Nursing homes typically have teams of attorneys to defend against these types of cases, and it’s important that you have someone on your side that is looking out for your best interests.
At Liberty Law, Micha Star Liberty and Seth I. Rosenberg believe that if a nursing home fails to provide proper care to a patient, the patient and/or his or her family should hold the nursing home legally liable for damages. Call the San Francisco Nursing Home Abuse and Neglect Attorneys at 415-896-1000 or 510-645-1000. We work with clients throughout the metropolitan area, including clients in Tracy, Fairfield, Hayward, San Jose, Berkeley, Sacramento, and the surrounding areas. Our attorneys can help advise you on your legal rights, and we will provide you with a free consultation on your case. In addition, if we choose to take your case you pay us nothing until we obtain compensation for you. Call today to learn more.
