Any person can develop an infection. However, when seniors develop infections, it can often turn into a serious or life-threatening medical condition.
One reason that families make the difficult decision to place their loved one in a nursing home is to ensure that they receive the proper supervision and care to enjoy an enhanced quality of life. When nursing homes fail to identify or properly treat an infection in an elderly resident, serious medical complications may result.
If you discover that your loved one developed an untreated infection as a resident of a nursing home, consider how a Los Angeles untreated infections lawyer might be able to help you fight for the compensation you deserve. Call Pintas & Mullins Law Firm at (800) 842-6336 to speak with a team member about how we can help ensure your loved one’s legal rights remain protected.
Types of Infections in Nursing Homes
While any infection can occur in a nursing home, certain types can cause severe medical concerns in elderly residents. Nursing homes have a responsibility and duty to identify and treat any infection that develops in a resident as quickly as possible to prevent any serious medical complications and the potential spread of the infection to other residents. Here are some of the most common types of infections that spread in nursing homes.
Viral Infections
According to the United States National Library of Medicine, viral infections include everything from the common cold and flu to infections developed through sexual contact—and even the novel coronavirus, also known as COVID-19.
Other viral infections include:
- Pneumonia
- Myelitis
- Eye infections
- Meningitis
- Hepatitis
- Pharyngitis
- Rabies
- Croup
- Warts
Any viral infection that remains untreated can develop into a severe or life-threatening condition. Additionally, failing to treat an infection in a nursing home resident can cause the germs to spread quickly to other residents, as evidenced by the COVID-19 infection rate in nursing homes throughout the United States. The Foundation for Research on Equal Opportunity found that nursing homes accounted for nearly half of all COVID-19 deaths nationwide.
If your loved one developed a viral infection (including COVID-19) as a resident of a nursing home, learn how a Los Angeles untreated infections lawyer at Pintas & Mullins Law Firm can help you explore your next steps. Call us today to get started.
Bacterial Infections
Bacterial infections can include tuberculosis, pneumonia, diphtheria, or dysentery. Bacterial infections can affect nearly every area of the body and easily transmit to others, causing severe challenges in nursing homes. Therefore, any infection (viral or bacterial) should receive immediate attention and treatment by the nursing home staff.
Fungal Infections
Another type of common infection found in nursing homes are fungal infections. Fungi reproduce directly on the surface of the skin; however, they can involve the mouth, intestines, fingernails, and lungs. Any elderly resident of a nursing home who receives chemotherapy or has a weakened immune system may have a higher propensity to develop fungal infections. Nursing homes should remain vigilant if a resident develops a fungal infection, as these types of infections can lead to serious medical issues or even death.
Nursing Home Regulations Regarding Treatment of Infections
The purpose of placing an elderly loved one in a nursing home is so that they receive proper care and supervision every day to ensure a better quality of life. The nursing home has a responsibility to ensure that they provide every resident with individualized care, treatment, and supervision to provide excellent care for an overall enhancement of their quality of life.
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services spells out the rights guaranteed to nursing home residents. Along with providing daily nutritional and hygienic needs, nursing home facilities must also care for residents’ medical needs, such as the development of an infection. Infections can cause serious medical harm to the infected resident and other residents if the infection spreads.
Nursing homes have strict protocols that they must follow to ensure that infections receive proper treatment immediately. Left untreated, elderly residents can develop serious medical conditions that can result in death. Every resident should have their physical condition monitored daily. Any change in their health should receive immediate medical care and attention.
If a nursing home resident develops any signs of infection such as fever, congestion, or rashes, they should receive immediate attention from an attending physician to determine a plan of care regarding any developing disease. Additionally, their family should receive immediate notification that their loved one developed an infection and the course of treatment they will receive to make sure they regain their health.
For a free legal consultation with a Untreated Infections Lawyer serving Los Angeles, call (800) 842-6336
Compensation for Untreated Infections in Nursing Home Residents
If any resident of a nursing home facility develops a viral, bacterial, or fungal infection that does not receive immediate attention or care, these untreated infections can develop into life-threatening medical conditions or even death. Any nursing home that fails to treat a resident’s infection could have legal liability for elderly abuse or neglect.
If your loved one had an untreated infection at a Los Angeles nursing home, you have the right to pursue justice and compensation on their behalf. You might want to speak with a nursing home abuse lawyer to learn what steps you can take. You could receive awards for medical bills and hospitalization to treat the infection, relocation costs to another facility if you no longer trust their previous nursing home, and compensation for the pain and suffering caused by their ordeal.
Los Angeles Untreated Infections Lawyer Near Me (800) 842-6336
Learn How a Lawyer Can Help You
All infections that elderly residents in nursing homes contract must receive immediate attention and treatment. If your elderly loved one developed any serious medical condition because of an infection that went untreated, you might have the legal right to pursue justice and compensation on their behalf.
The Los Angeles untreated infections lawyers at Pintas & Mullins Law Firm stand ready to help you. Call us today at (800) 842-6336 to discuss your case for free with a team member.
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