The unfortunate reality of the inside of many nursing homes is that the people who work in these facilities may engage in various kinds of elderly abuse.
Iowa City, IA – Despite the fact that nursing homes are meant to care for and protect the elderly and sick, there are always significant problems in these facilities in Iowa and other states. Patients may be neglected, physically abused, become very ill, or get injured in an accident. In any of these situations, it may be possible for the victim or their family to bring a civil case against the facility responsible. This is because a nursing home always has a duty of care that they owe their patients, and a violation of this duty of care is considered negligence as a matter of law.
Neglect by staff and administration
People in nursing homes need to be monitored and receive special care and attention. If they receive insignificant care, they can develop infections, illnesses, physical injuries, or even die. If a lawsuit needs to be filed, there may be evidence of a lack of proper care, employees who skipped out on certain duties, or other problems that led to the victim’s complications. Employers and the facility’s administration should also ensure that their workers are actively performing their job duties and providing appropriate care at all times.
Intentional abuse
The unfortunate reality of the inside of many nursing homes is that the people who work in these facilities may engage in various kinds of elderly abuse. This might include stealing and financial exploitation, hitting and physically abusing the person, and even sexual assaults. A brief check of local news in many locations in Iowa and around the United States shows that nursing home workers consistently engage in this kind of illegal behavior. However, the facility is ultimately responsible for hiring and monitoring their employees, and they can be found to be negligent for allowing these things to happen.
Bacterial and viral outbreaks
Nursing homes need to pay special attention to cleanliness. This is especially true in dining areas, common areas, restrooms, and the patients’ living areas. If someone suddenly becomes ill or there is an outbreak, this can be devastating and even lead to multiple deaths in a short period of time. This is because the very old and those with compromised immunity are extremely vulnerable to even common illnesses that are not serious to the general population.
Help from a local injury lawyer
Eells and Tronvold Law Offices is a firm that handles all kinds of injury and accident cases for local clients throughout Iowa. Their attorneys offer consultations to anyone who needs more information about bringing a lawsuit and receiving compensation.
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