Realizing that your loved one resides in a nursing home that practices poor hygiene probably causes concern for the safety and well-being of your loved one. Poor cleanliness and hygiene in nursing homes can extend to much more serious matters than simply a dirty floor or windows. Poor hygiene practices on behalf of nursing home staff can have a devastating effect on the health of the residents.
Inadequate hygiene can lead to serious infections and health problems, some of which can prove fatal for an elderly person. Hygiene and cleanliness classify as a matter of high importance in a nursing home. All surfaces that can harbor viruses and bacteria are cleaned and require disinfecting regularly. Thorough cleaning of all rooms and bathrooms, especially baths, showers, sinks, and toilets, proves equally as important for the health of all residents.
Good hygiene also proves important when it comes to food preparation. Kitchen staff in a nursing home should follow safe food handling guidelines and techniques to cut down the risk of any foodborne illnesses transmitting to residents.
According to t he Nursing Home Reform Act, a nursing home has the legal obligation to provide an environment free from neglect. Poor hygiene classifies as one form of neglect in a nursing home. If you have a spouse or parent in a nursing home that fell ill due to poor hygiene, whether through a foodborne illness or another infection, you may want to speak to a nursing home lawyer and consider your options. You may qualify to file a personal injury lawsuit and hold the nursing home liable for inadequate cleanliness and a lack of hygiene.
Infections in Nursing Homes
Bad hygiene favors the transmission of infections that can remain harmless for a healthy adult but threaten the life of an elderly and frail nursing home resident.
Infections in nursing homes, according to Aging Health, include:
- Gastroenteritis.
- Influenza.
- Skin and Soft Tissue Infections.
- Pneumonia
- Urinary Tract Infections.
These represent just some of the infections potentially present in a nursing home context. Some infections rarely pose a threat to a healthy adult; however, for an elderly person suffering from other medical complications, even a minor infection can prove life-threatening.
Some of the standard hygiene precautions that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention strongly suggests for infection control include wearing gloves if the staff performs certain daily living activities and performing hand hygiene before and after touching a resident, such as washing and disinfecting hands thoroughly.
If the staff lacks proper hygiene training, or a staff shortage causes the caregivers to rush or neglect these practices, hygiene and cleanliness can invariably suffer. Employees may not have the knowledge or the time to perform proper hygiene procedures that limit the spread of potentially life-threatening infections.
Has your spouse or family member suffered from any infections and illnesses due to poor hygiene at their nursing home? We may help you understand your legal options. Contact Pintas & Mullins Law Firm today for your complimentary consultation.
Nursing Home Liability
A nursing home bears responsibility for ensuring a safe and clean environment for all its residents. If neglect happens at a nursing home, through poor hygiene procedures, for example, the law may hold the facility liable.
You may not only hold a nursing home liable for general bad hygiene but also potentially for the spread of preventable diseases and infections that result from poor hygiene on the premises. A nursing home may not fulfill its responsibilities in several different ways. If the staff lacks proper training or qualification in hygiene procedures and protocols necessary in a nursing home, they may not know how to carry out good hygiene procedures.
For a free legal consultation with a Poor Hygiene Lawyer serving Forest View, call (800) 842-6336
Damages from a Poor Hygiene Personal Injury Lawsuit
If your loved one suffered a medical complication or even died as a result of poor hygiene in a nursing home, you may receive an award for economic damages as well as non-economic damages, depending on your case.
Economic damages refer to monetary awards for losses, such as medical bills resulting from the injury, transportation costs to and from the hospital, prescription drugs, and any medical equipment needed. Non-economic damages that you or your loved one may claim can extend to physical pain, emotional pain and suffering, and disfigurement or disability, to name just a few examples.
We also advise you to consider the costs of any future treatments of the injury or illness, such as ongoing prescription drugs or physical therapy. You may find it helpful to speak to a nursing home lawyer about your options regarding a personal injury or wrongful death lawsuit and the potential awards.
Forest View Poor Hygiene Lawyer Near Me (800) 842-6336
Pintas & Mullins Law Firm May Help
If you have seen poor hygiene practices in your loved one’s nursing home, you may feel angry or helpless, not knowing what to do and what your next steps should include. We may help build a claim and plan a course of action with you. We may also factor in any ongoing and future medical costs potentially arising from any injuries your loved one has as a result of poor hygiene.
If your loved one has died as a result of poor hygiene in a nursing home, holding those responsible may feel overwhelming, considering everything else you must deal with after a death in the family. Legal representation may take some of that stress away and guide you to fair compensation. In a wrongful death lawsuit, compensation may extend to funeral costs.
Statutes of limitation usually apply to personal injury lawsuits and wrongful death lawsuits, so you want to ensure you file on time and secure your right to legal action. We do not charge upfront attorney’s fees, and we only collect payment if we secure compensation on your behalf. Call the nursing home lawyers of Pintas & Mullins Law Firm today for your free case evaluation.
Call or text (800) 842-6336 or complete a Free Case Evaluation form