If your loved one lives in a nursing home, check them for any bruises, cuts, and burns periodically. Bruises can happen in elderly adults. Sometimes, they point to medical problems or medication side-effects. Bruises, cuts, and burns can also signal nursing home neglect, especially if they show up on your loved one repeatedly and without an explanation.
In the first instance, it is important to question your loved one about any unexplained bruises, cuts, or burns. Bear in mind that your relative may not report any abuse out of shame or fear of retaliation from nursing home staff. They may also remain unable to communicate what has happened to them. This is why it is important to get to the bottom of such injuries promptly and stop potential neglect or abuse.
If your loved one suffered any injuries, the nursing home should inform you instantly and, if needed, also contact the primary physician of your relative. Their failure to do so warrants your suspicion of the nursing home and staff. If the staff did not keep you informed about any injuries, or they failed to explain any cuts and bruises, you can take action immediately to protect your loved one.
For a free legal consultation with a Unexplained Bruises or Cuts or Burns Lawyer serving Forest Park, call (800) 794-0444
Nursing home abuse and neglect involve complex legal and medical issues. Pintas & Mullins Law Firm may help you obtain justice for your loved one. If your loved one has suffered unexplained bruises or cuts or burns from substandard care in a nursing home, call us to discuss liability and possible compensation by dialing us.
Forest Park Unexplained Bruises or Cuts or Burns Lawyer Near Me (800) 794-0444
Finding Burns on Your Loved OneWhile bruises and cuts can happen in the course of a day by tripping or bumping into furniture, everyday incidents may not account for burns. Burns and scalds can indicate abuse and neglect in the nursing home. Even if a burn proves accidental, it may still classify as preventable. Some of the reasons for burns in nursing homes include:
- Scalding hot water when bathing or showering
- Skin contact with heaters or radiators
- Contact with extremely hot food and drink
- Contact with hot electrical appliances or pots
- Unsupervised cigarette smoking
- Candles burning unsupervised
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An older person’s skin thins and becomes more susceptible to damage from burns and scalds. Moreover, burns and scalding injuries cause pain and can potentially cause long-lasting damage, along with a future need for medical treatment. Many burn victims experience disfigurement and chronic pain. Without management of burns in the elderly, these injuries may even lead to fatalities. Higher mortality rates, as well as the risk of complications from burns, occur for this demographic.
Reporting Cases of Abuse and Neglect
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Unfortunately, most seniors do not report incidents of abuse or neglect in nursing homes, according to the National Center on Elder Abuse. If anyone suspects abuse of an elderly person, they should contact their local adult protective services for help, as well as law enforcement. If the elderly adult remains in immediate danger or suffers from any life-threatening injuries, they should receive immediate medical attention.
After you secure your loved one’s safety, you may face hospital bills and other expenses. You may also wonder who bears liability for future costs associated with any ongoing treatment for the injuries your loved one endured.
Your relative may now need more extensive medical care, medical equipment, physiotherapy, or other costly treatments that they did not require before they got hurt through nursing home neglect. A Forest Park unexplained bruises or cuts or burns lawyer with Pintas & Mullins Law Firm may help you find out about your options and determine whether you can hold a nursing home accountable.
Nursing Homes Have an Obligation To Prevent Injuries
Local and federal laws require nursing homes to comply with certain standards of care and protect their residents from any harm, abuse, and neglect. If residents sustain injuries that prove preventable according to the regulations, you may have the right to hold the nursing home liable.
Careful and attentive nursing home staff may avoid burns and scalds on their residents by checking bath water for temperature or making sure not to overheat food and drinks. Many nursing homes still allow residents to smoke, which not only causes skin burns but also creates a fire hazard for the entire facility.
Burns, cuts, and bruises can result from outright abuse by nursing home staff or other residents. Bruises and cuts can occur due to rough handling and physical abuse, for example. In these cases, the nursing home could also prove negligent due to hiring or training deficiencies, such as through a failure to do a background check on an individual. Staff should also identify and stop any aggression and fights between residents.
Your loved one has the right to live out their years in comfort and safety, free from abuse and neglect. We want to determine how we may help your relative and your family recover compensation for medical costs and injuries related to nursing home abuse.
If your loved one has suffered unexplained bruises, cuts, or burns in the Forest Park area, call us to find out how to go forward with a personal injury or wrongful death lawsuit. Nursing home neglect lawsuits do not only help the injured residents and their families but may ensure that nursing home administration and staff act more responsibly in the future. This could save other residents from injury or fatal accidents.
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