Today, over 1.3 million Americans live in nursing homes. Nursing homes are supposed to care for our loved ones – those who cannot take care of themselves. We trust them with our fragile loved ones’ lives, usually out of necessity. But what happens when your loved one is not receiving the care he or she deserves? Worse, what if he or she is being neglected or abused?
Often, nursing home neglect cases are medical malpractice cases. When the nursing home negligence at issue is considered medical malpractice or is in some way related to providing inadequate medical care, the plaintiff will generally need to prove the applicable standard of care, the defendant’s breach of the standard of care, proximate cause, and an actual injury and damages. Some indications that an elderly person did not receive adequate care may include evidence of:
- Dehydration;
- Malnutrition;
- Infection;
- Broken bones;
- Lacerations;
- Bruises;
- Bedsores; or
- Weight loss.
How We Can Help
If you suspect your parent, grandparent or other loved one is a victim of nursing home neglect in a New York City facility, it’s very important that you speak out. However, you might also want to talk to a lawyer who focuses on neglect of the elderly. The people responsible for the injury to your loved one should be held accountable, because nobody deserves to suffer under someone else’s “care”.