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A look at nursing home neglect

On Behalf of | Dec 10, 2015 | Uncategorized |

When a person enters a nursing home, they probably expect to be treated fairly. Unfortunately, not everyone gets the treatment they expect or deserve. Sometimes, sadly, a person may become a victim of nursing home neglect. Nursing home neglect can take many forms and can have unfortunate effects on a victim’s life. Victims and their families may be at a loss as to how to proceed following such a regrettable occurrence. Thankfully, victims are protected by certain legal rights, and they can choose to act on those rights in an attempt to impose liability and ensure their future.

Nursing home residents have a right to be free from physical, verbal, sexual and mental abuse. They also have a right to not have any physical or drug-related constraint placed on them for disciplinary purposes, or for the convenience of the nursing home. What’s more, nursing home residents also have certain rights that protect them from forms of neglect.

Nursing home neglect can take many forms. Any failure to provide services essential to ensure safety or health may be deemed neglect. These essential services can include shelter, food, supervision, clothing and medical care. Depending on whether these actions are found to be intentional or accidental, a nursing home institution may be found criminally guilty of either nursing home abuse, or nursing home neglect.

When a nursing home is found guilty of nursing home neglect, victims and their families have a number of options available to them. They may choose to file a lawsuit against the guilty party. By doing so, they may be able to obtain the compensation they need to cover the many costs associated with this kind of negligence. Attorneys are available to help guide victims and their families through this process.

Source: FindLaw, “Nursing Home Abuse FAQ,” accessed on Dec 7, 2015

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