Nursing homes are often associated with healthcare and support for the elderly population. While nursing homes usually do their part to sustain and support their patients in later stages of life, sometimes their negligence and misconduct lead to the early death of a resident. The surviving family members of a victim of medical malpractice that led to an early or wrongful death in a nursing home may be eligible to recover financial awards.
An Austin death lawyer from Pintas & Mullins Law Firm will take your case on to investigate the incident, hold the responsible party liable for their actions, and pursue any financial awards that you and your family members may be owed. Our team works on a contingency-fee-basis, which means that you pay no upfront or out-of-pocket costs. We will work to defend your rights no matter how tough things may get. Contact our office today at (800) 842-6336 to speak to someone in our office about your situation.
Common Causes of Early and Wrongful Nursing Home Deaths
While some early and wrongful deaths in nursing homes are difficult to pinpoint in origin, many share some common causes. Some of the most common causes include the following:
Improper Care of Daily Needs
Many residents in nursing homes are not able to take care of their day-to-day needs on their own. Instead, they rely on the help and support of a caregiver. When a caregiver fails to adequately take care of a resident’s daily needs, they put them at risk for severe health complications and early death. For example, when an elderly patient in a nursing home does not receive regular nutrition from their caregiver, they may suffer from malnutrition. Even though malnutrition may seem like a mild problem that is easy to correct, it can often ravage the bodily systems of an elderly resident.
On a similar note, dehydration represents a major risk of early death in nursing home environments. Dehydration can wreak havoc on the vital organs of older people. When their bodies fail to receive adequate hydration throughout the day, they may not be able to recover. In cases like these, an individual employee may be held liable. Sometimes an institution’s failure to monitor and train their employees may factor into your case. A lawyer can work with you to determine who was at fault.
Medical Malpractice and Errors
Errors are unacceptable in any healthcare facility. However, medical malpractice, negligence, and errors often bear even greater consequences in a nursing home facility. As many older residents living in nursing homes have serious health conditions, a single medical error can permanently damage them. Some errors even cause immediate death. Medication errors, miscommunications, and the misuse of medical equipment all constitute acts of medical malpractice that may place the full blame on a caregiver or nursing home facility.
Physical Abuse
It is a sad fact, but physical abuse is a widespread problem in nursing home facilities across the United States. While anyone can become the victim of an act of nursing home abuse that leads to death, some statistics suggest that certain groups are more vulnerable. For example, “Compared with women, men had higher rates of both nonfatal assaults and homicides. The rate for nonfatal assaults increased by more than 75% among men (2002–2016) and more than 35% among women (2007–2016). The estimated homicide rate for men increased by 7% from 2010 to 2016,” per the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
An Austin death lawyer from Pintas & Mullins Law Firm will work with you to determine a liable party and hold them accountable. Our lawyers work on a contingency-fee-basis, and we will not back down even when your case gets tough. Contact us today to learn more about your options.
Seeking Justice and Financial Awards
Nursing home abuse often takes place over long periods, manifesting in many ways as the abuse accelerates. Unfortunately, in many cases where nursing home abuse causes death, it is likely that it was occurring long before the act that caused death. “It may be difficult to recognize signs and symptoms of abuse, as they can [often] appear to be symptoms of dementia or signs of the individual’s frailty, mental deterioration, or disease process,” per the Texas Health and Human Services (HHS) Quality Monitoring Program.
When an act of nursing home abuse causes death, you may be able to hold the nursing home facility accountable for your losses. Some possible forms of financial awards that you may be eligible to recover include coverage of the following:
● Funeral expenses
● Healthcare expenses
● Loss of provision and income
● Loss of companionship
● Pain and suffering
With a lawyer working on your side, they will handle negotiations for financial awards on your behalf. They can represent your rights as they collect evidence, establish a liable party, and communicate with any other parties involved in the early or wrongful death of your loved one.
For a free legal consultation with a Wrongful Death Lawyer serving Austin, call (800) 842-6336
Contact Pintas & Mullins Law Firm Today
An Austin death lawyer from Pintas & Mullins Law Firm will pursue justice on your behalf after your loved one experiences an act of nursing home abuse that causes death. Our team will investigate the situation to discover whether error, negligence, or abuse was a factor. We will then work to assign liability to a responsible party and pursue any forms of financial awards that you and your loved ones may be owed. To speak to someone in our office about your circumstances, contact us today at (800) 842-6336.
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