Nursing Home Injury Attorney in Philadelphia
When a Loved One is Injured in a Philadelphia Nursing Home
State and federal regulations mandate that nursing homes must maintain certain staffing levels and adhere to specific care standards. These requirements include regular repositioning of bedridden patients, meeting nutritional needs, providing necessary assistive devices, following strict medication procedures, and upholding residents’ rights. Background checks for all prospective staff members are also required. When nursing homes or their staff fail to comply with these regulations, they are guilty of negligence and must be held accountable.
Types of Nursing Home Injuries
Most nursing homes claim that their staff members treat residents with the care, dignity, and respect they deserve. However, the reality is that one-third of all nursing homes in the US have been cited for abusing their residents. Nursing home injuries can arise from various causes, including accidents, negligent care, and abuse.
Physical Injuries
Physical injuries in nursing homes often result from falls, accidents, or medical malpractice. Common causes of falls include:
- Slippery floors
- Poor lighting
- Poorly maintained walkers or wheelchairs
- Insufficient or inadequately trained staff
- Poor supervision of residents’ movements
- Lack of assistance in getting up from chairs or beds, or getting to the bathroom
- Lack of bedrails or incorrect bed height
Negligent Care
Negligent care can lead to a range of injuries and health issues, such as:
- Bedsores and pressure ulcers
- Missed medication times, medication errors, and staff not conforming to care plans
- Poor hygiene
- Infections
- Injuries from falling
- Choking on food
- Inadequate personal care and supervision
- Dehydration and lack of proper nourishment
- Lack of medical aids such as eyeglasses, hearing aids, or wheelchairs
- Lack of clean clothing or bed linens
- Poor maintenance of the facility and necessary equipment
Abuse
Abuse in nursing homes can be financial, physical, sexual, or emotional. Each form of abuse can significantly impact the well-being and dignity of vulnerable residents.
Financial Abuse involves the unlawful or unethical taking, misuse, or concealment of a resident’s funds, property, or assets. This can include:
- Theft of personal items (cash, jewelry, investments, deeds to real estate)
- A caregiver taking control of the victim’s finances
- A resident transferring property, giving power of attorney to caregivers, making new wills, etc., without fully understanding their actions
Physical Abuse includes any form of physical harm inflicted on a resident, such as:
- Assault and battery
- Sexual abuse
- Use of medication to restrain the victim
- False imprisonment
- Physical endangerment
- Withholding of food and/or medication
Emotional Abuse involves mental or emotional harm, such as:
- Making threats or verbally abusing the resident
- Isolating the resident by restricting visits or phone calls
- Engaging in violent, controlling, aggressive, or irresponsible behavior
Protect Your Loved One: Know The Facts About Elder Abuse and Neglect
CNN has reported that more than 90% of nursing homes are understaffed, leading to many residents being abandoned and neglected. Elder neglect can result in severe health issues and diminished quality of life.
Case Results
Gay Chacker & Ginsburg are well known for their nursing home neglect cases. They fight for the rights of the elderly and ensure they are treated justly and receive the compensation they rightfully deserve.
For example, Bruce Ginsburg won a settlement of $121,000 for an 81-year-old lady who was a victim of nursing home abuse. The 81-year-old lady was a resident at an assisted living facility in Chester County, PA. The facility accepted her as a resident despite knowing she was at a high risk of falling due to her age. Even after she fell twice, no changes were made to her care plan. Tragically, after a few days, she fell again, resulting in a serious injury—a fractured lumbar spine that required kyphoplasty surgery. Bruce Ginsburg and his team at Gay Chacker & Ginsburg investigated this case of neglect and successfully held the facility accountable, securing $121,000 in settlement for the victim.
According to Bruce Ginsburg of Gay Chacker & Ginsburg, “Skilled care and nursing home neglect cases require experience with the law and an ability to understand people as they get older. We are placing our families into homes where we expect quality care.”
Standing Your Ground and Recovering Your Losses
If you or someone you care about has suffered from nursing home abuse and/or neglect, contact Your Philly Lawyers, Gay Chacker & Ginsburg’s Philadelphia nursing home injury lawyers. With decades of experience representing nursing home injury clients in Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and nearby areas, we will diligently identify the legal issues in your case, covering all legal bases, including negligence claims and survival or wrongful death lawsuits.
Get the Right Legal Advice to Receive Fair Compensation
Standing Up To Nursing Home Abuse
Our dedicated attorneys will work hard to determine the causes of death or injuries, gather medical evidence and expert testimony, and prove the injuries and losses suffered by you or your loved one.
Contact us now to learn more about how we can help in a nursing home injury case. There is no risk or obligation. We charge no legal fees unless we recover financial compensation for you. Call us today at 215-567-7955 for a free consultation with a Philadelphia nursing home injury lawyer, and start reclaiming the dignity and respect you and your family deserve.
