According to the National Institute on Aging, recurrent or untreated infections can be a sign of elder neglect. While infections may not initially be an obvious sign of elder neglect, there are other signs of neglect that can accommodate and accelerate infection, like poor hygiene and other physically apparent types of abuse.
If your otherwise healthy loved one frequently suffers from recurring infections, an untreated infections lawyer can help you in Atlanta. Contact Pintas & Mullins to begin building your case to hold abusive and negligent nursing homes accountable for their actions. Speak with an Atlanta Untreated Infections Lawyer about your case.
The Risks of Untreated Infections
The risks for untreated infections are elevated for people 65 and older, especially when they have chronic diseases related to the immune system. People with diabetes, lung cancer, kidney disease, and other chronic illnesses tend to experience worsening symptoms with untreated infections, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Nursing homes, hospitals, and other community-based healthcare settings can be breeding grounds for dangerous bacteria that puts your loved one with an infection at higher risk. These may include:
- Staph Staphylococcus aureus
- E. coli Escherichia coli
- Streptococcus
While nursing home staff should ideally know about these risks for untreated infections, not all nursing home staff are trained to the same extent. This creates a potentially dangerous situation that affects everyone, and especially your loved one. Sepsis is the medical term for life-threatening elevation of infections, according to the CDC.
Here are some signs that your loved one may be living in a nursing home with a severe or continuously untreated infection:
- Shortness of breath
- Confusion or disorientation
- High heart rate
- Fever, shivering, or chills
- Intolerable pain or discomfort
- Clammy, or sweaty skin
In Atlanta, Georgia, and other states, there are legal options for people who unnecessarily endure pain and suffering from the neglectful treatment of others.
Legal Options for Untreated Infections
Holding neglectful nursing home staffers accountable for your loved one’s ill condition does not need to be difficult. A lawyer can build your case from start to finish, informing you of every step along the way. The most important thing for you to do is to get the attention of one of our lawyers, so we can help you as soon as possible.
To bring your loved one’s neglectful caregivers to justice, you will want to pursue a legal claim for compensation of the extra expenses you had as a result of someone else’s negligence. This is a non-exhaustive list of the types of claim you may decide to pursue with a lawyer by your side:
- Personal Injury: Personal injury cases cover expenses for medications, repeated doctor visits, and additional evaluations by other medical professionals.
- Breach of Contract: Turning over care to nursing home staff is never easy, which is why we use formalized contracts to specify the type of care and the extent of care our loved ones need in nursing homes. If your loved one frequently suffers from untreated infections, you may be able to pursue a legal claim for breach of contract.
- Medical Malpractice: When licensed medical practitioners overprescribe antibiotics, painkillers, or use other questionable treatments to avoid getting to the root of the cause in your loved one’s untreated infections, you may have a medical malpractice case.
Your loved one’s case will be different, so the best thing for you to do is speak with a member of our team about the details. Do not worry about having a case that is too complicated or seems like too much of a burden. Our priority is getting you and your loved one a well-deserved settlement so you can recover from neglectful treatment by the nursing home staff.
Building Your Case
Our lawyers do not want you to bear the burden of gathering evidence for your case, but we will make the most of anything you can contribute. Building any legal claim involves a thorough ‘discovery’ period, during which we will work to understand the facts of your case and how they relate to your loved one’s untreated infections. Here is a list of potential evidence we may gather to strengthen your position in a lawsuit:
- Medical Records: If your loved one has a history of doctor’s visits for reasons not limited to the untreated infection, that would be a significant contribution to a legal claim against an abusive nursing home staff.
- Your Role in Your Loved One’s Care: Of course, establishing an open line of communication with your loved one’s care team is important, not only because it could prevent adverse complications like untreated infections, but it shows that you have a vested interest in his or her care. Any log of dates that you contacted your loved one’s nursing home, and the nature of your conversations, will contribute towards a stronger case for you.
- Medical Expertise: Gaining insight from other medical professionals who have experience with treating infections in older people will help build a case defending the need for adequate treatment.
- Nursing Home Background: Nursing homes are required to file reports of complaints and other incidents with the federal government. A nursing home that is likely to abuse or mistreat your loved one may have a record of similar behavior.
Navigating the legislation around nursing home laws can seem daunting, so let our lawyers do it for you.
For a free legal consultation with a Atlanta Untreated Infections Lawyer serving Atlanta, call (800) 794-0444
Consider Hiring an Untreated Infections Lawyer
Do not wait to act on your case—the sooner you begin building a claim, the sooner we can help you build your case. Begin working with an Atlanta untreated infections lawyer with Pintas & Mullins Law Firm to get the settlement you deserve by calling us.
Call or text (800) 794-0444 or complete a Free Case Evaluation form
