When an infectious disease makes the rounds, such as seasonal influenza, nursing home residents can be particularly vulnerable. Not only do residents live in close quarters with others, but the nursing home staff, visitors, and contractors could bring infections inside the nursing home. Once established, the infections can then potentially spread like wildfire to many other residents.
When deadly infections get a foothold in nursing homes, residents typically suffer devastating consequences such as permanent injuries and fatalities.
If your loved one suffered an injury or died from an infectious disease in their nursing home, you could have legal recourse. As a first step, you can hire a Columbus infections outbreak and disease lawyer to determine whether you have a claim. Call Pintas & Mullins Law Firm now and reserve your free consultation with a member of our team at (800) 842-6336.
Infections in Nursing Homes
According to an Aging Health study, nursing homes can harbor infections associated with high mortality rates, recurring and prolonged hospital stays, and considerable health care costs. Examples of infections among nursing home residents include:
- Respiratory tract infections
- Urinary tract infections (UTIs)
- Pneumonia
- Skin infections and diseases
- Influenza
- Surgical site infections
- Sepsis
- Gastrointestinal infections
While not all infections are preventable, a nursing home must minimize risks to its residents. This typically includes keeping residents clean by practicing adequate daily personal hygiene and changing diapers, bed linens, and clothes regularly. Staff should also use best practices when it comes to hygiene around the property. A nursing home must keep all areas clean—especially bathrooms, kitchens, and frequently touched areas.
Infection Control in Nursing Homes
A nursing home should follow established infection control protocols at all times. Best practices during an infectious disease outbreak can include isolating sick patients, staff wearing protective gear at all times, and keeping any visits to the bare minimum.
Containing infectious diseases can be difficult even when a nursing home acts prudently and goes above and beyond. However, when management and staff of a nursing home act negligently and fail to follow the adequate procedures, infections can run rampant through nursing homes with potentially horrific consequences.
If your loved one came to harm or passed away from a preventable infectious disease in their nursing home, contact Pintas & Mullins Law Firm. Your Columbus infections outbreak and disease lawyer can provide help and advice.
Recoverable Compensation
If you can prove the nursing home acted negligently, you could recover compensation for pain and suffering and financial losses, including medical bills. While there is no such thing as an average settlement in a nursing home personal injury case, you could receive the following types of compensation:
Economic Damages
Economic damages include all monetary losses and out-of-pocket expenses connected to the injury. This could include hospital bills, costs for medical devices, costs for medical transportation, and others. Economic damages can be easy to calculate as there is typically tangible proof, such as receipts and statements.
Non-Economic Damages
Non-economic damages can be tricky to estimate as they typically do not have a set dollar value. These types of damages can include pain and suffering, loss of life quality, and others. A lawyer knows how to calculate and assess non-economic damages comprehensively.
Compensation can differ greatly from one case to another. Hiring a lawyer can help you discover what you could deserve in your specific case.
For a free legal consultation with a Infections Outbreak and Disease Lawyer serving Columbus, call (800) 842-6336
Proving the Nursing Home’s Negligence
You may know that your loved one suffered an injury or died due to substandard care. However, to hold a negligent nursing home to account, you will have to prove the facility acted negligently. Plaintiffs in a lawsuit have to provide concrete evidence to prove the following elements of a personal injury lawsuit:
- The defendant (nursing home) had a duty of care.
- The defendant breached their duty.
- The breach caused a preventable infection, your loved one’s injuries, or their death.
- There are damages such as medical bills.
Federal and state laws protect nursing home residents from neglect and abuse. The Nursing Home Reform Act, 42 USC §1395i-3, states that a nursing home must have an infection control program to prevent transmission of infections and other diseases. If you and your attorney can prove that a nursing home did not take the necessary steps to keep your loved one safe from harm, you could have a case.
Columbus Infections Outbreak and Disease Lawyer Near Me (800) 842-6336
Hire a Columbus Nursing Home Lawyer Today
If your loved one had to suffer unnecessarily, you do not have to stand for it. A Columbus infections outbreak and disease lawyer can help you hold the responsible party to account for costs and other damages. We understand that your priority will be keeping your loved one safe and ensuring they do not suffer any further health deterioration. Thinking about a lawsuit and standing up to a nursing home might feel overwhelming and stressful.
However, we can take your case into our hands while you are free to spend time with your loved one. Pintas & Mullins Law Firm can leave no stone unturned to fight for your relative’s justice. We can build a comprehensive case against the negligent nursing home as well as help in other ways, including:
- Gathering evidence
- Calculating damages
- Filing the necessary documents
- Providing expert witnesses
- Negotiating with the insurance company and the nursing home
No amount of compensation can make up for the heartbreak and suffering your loved one experienced. However, recovering a settlement can help pay for medical treatments and provide some comfort. Call Pintas & Mullins Law Firm now for a free review of your legal rights at (800) 842-6336.
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